Things to Do in Stone Town Zanzibar

The best things to do in Stone Town Zanzibar include a guided walking tour of the UNESCO-listed old town, visiting the Old Fort and Slave Market Memorial, taking a boat trip to Prison Island to see giant tortoises, exploring the Forodhani Night Market, touring a spice farm, visiting the Freddie Mercury Museum, browsing Darajani Bazaar, and taking a sunset dhow cruise. Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, carrying centuries of Swahili, Arab, Indian, and European history within a walkable area of coral stone lanes and carved wooden doorways. Two full days covers the main attractions comfortably, though three days allows for day trips as well.

Guided Walking Tours of Stone Town

A Stone Town walking tour lets you explore UNESCO alleys, mosques, and markets, and roughly 90% of visitors rate it “essential,” taking around three hours and costing $20–$40. The narrow lanes of Stone Town are genuinely difficult to navigate alone, so a local guide makes a significant difference. As you explore, you will quickly notice one of Stone Town’s most famous features: its magnificent carved doors. With over 560 historic doors, these are more than just entrances — they are symbols of wealth, status, and cultural identity. Arab-style doors are typically rectangular and feature intricate geometric patterns, while Indian-style doors often have a rounded top and are adorned with large brass studs, a design originally meant to deter war elephants in India but adopted in Zanzibar as a status symbol. Most guided walking tours stop at the Old Fort, House of Wonders, Palace Museum, Slave Market, and Jaws Corner. Starting at 8:30 AM is recommended to beat the heat.

The Old Fort and Forodhani Gardens

The oldest building in Stone Town is the Old Fort, constructed around 1700 by Omani Arabs to defend against the Portuguese. Its massive stone walls have served as a garrison, a prison, and even a railway depot. Today, the fort is a cultural hub housing an open-air amphitheater, art galleries, and craft shops, and it is free to enter. The amphitheater inside the fort still sees some use today, and if you are lucky you may catch a live performance on this 400-year-old stage. Directly in front of the fort sits Forodhani Gardens. Forodhani Park is one of the best free places to watch the sunset in Stone Town, located in front of the House of Wonders and the Old Fort. After dark, the gardens transform into a street food market where vendors serve Zanzibar pizza, grilled seafood, sugarcane juice, and local snacks for just a few dollars per dish.

The Slave Market Memorial and Anglican Cathedral

A visit to the site of the former Slave Market is a sobering but worth-your-time experience. This was the last legally operating slave market in East Africa, finally closed in 1873. The Anglican Christ Church Cathedral was built directly on the site as a symbol of hope and freedom, and its altar stands on the exact spot of the market’s main whipping post. You can tour the cathedral and descend into the cramped, dark chambers where enslaved people were held. A powerful memorial sculpture outside serves as a tribute to the victims of this history. The cathedral was built in 1873 by Edward Steere, the third Bishop of Zanzibar and a British abolitionist. Entry to the cathedral and slave chambers costs around $5–$10 per person. This is one of the most historically significant stops in Stone Town and is best visited with a guide who can give it the full context it deserves.

Prison Island Boat Trip and Giant Tortoises

The tour to Prison Island to see the giant tortoises is probably Stone Town’s most popular day trip. Built in 1893, the island was originally designated as a prison but was repurposed to contain cholera and bubonic plague epidemics that authorities feared would spread to Zanzibar on ships from Bombay and Egypt. Today, the island is home to a large colony of Aldabra giant tortoises. The boat ride from Stone Town takes around 20–30 minutes. After arriving on Prison Island, a guide teaches visitors the history and introduces them to the giant tortoises, and there is also a chance to explore the museum. The full trip, including boat hire and island entry, typically costs $30–$60 per person. Some combined tours bundle Prison Island with a Stone Town walking tour and spice farm visit for $80–$150 per person.

Spice Farm Tours Outside Stone Town

Zanzibar earned the nickname “Spice Island” for good reason, and a half-day spice farm tour from Stone Town is one of the most popular activities on the island. Spice tours allow visitors to sample cloves, nutmeg, and other spices, with around 60% of visitors including this activity in their itinerary. The farms lie roughly 30 minutes outside Stone Town by car, and most operators include transport in the price. Visitors are consistently surprised by how many different spices and fruits they encounter on the tour. Tours last two to three hours and cost $15–$35 per person. A cooking class combined with a spice farm visit runs around $59 per person for a five-hour experience. Spice farm tours are well-suited to the afternoon after a morning in Stone Town itself.

The Freddie Mercury Museum and Cultural Sites

The Freddie Mercury Museum is the first museum dedicated to the world legend Freddie Mercury, located in the same house where Freddie and his family stayed until they moved to England in 1963. The museum details his life and legacy, as well as the legacy of Queen in general. It covers how he grew up in Stone Town, with pictures from his childhood adorning the walls. Entry costs around $3–$5 and the visit takes 30–60 minutes. Separately, Jaws Corner is an unassuming street corner and open-air coffee spot where local men gather every day to sip strong black coffee, play board games, and discuss the day’s news. It is a social institution and a good place to pause and watch genuine community life in Stone Town. The Old Dispensary on the seafront is also worth a look. Located right on Zanzibar’s seafront, the Old Dispensary is now the town’s cultural center and houses its own restaurant along with several shops and offices.

Darajani Bazaar and Shopping in Stone Town

Darajani Market is the main bazaar in Stone Town, built under Sultan Ali bin Hamud who was the eighth Sultan of Zanzibar from 1902 to 1911. The bazaar is the hub of Stone Town’s commerce, selling a wide range of groceries from meat and fish to spices and produce, as well as a variety of wares and crafts. It operates primarily in the mornings and is free to enter, though a guided visit costs around $10. Beyond Darajani, the lanes of Stone Town are filled with small shops selling souvenirs. You can find everything from fragrant spice packages and colorful kanga fabrics to Tinga Tinga paintings and handcrafted jewelry. Bargaining is part of the culture, so polite negotiation is expected.

Sunset Dhow Cruise from Stone Town

A sunset dhow cruise along the Stone Town harbor takes around one hour and costs $20–$40, with a 70% satisfaction rate among those who do it. Traditional wooden dhows have sailed these waters for centuries, and a short evening cruise gives a completely different perspective on the Stone Town skyline and the western coast. Most cruises depart from the waterfront near Forodhani Gardens in the late afternoon. Some operators include light snacks and drinks in the price. This pairs well with an evening at the Forodhani Night Market or a rooftop dinner in town. Restaurant reservations are advisable for upscale waterfront establishments, particularly Emerson Spice Rooftop, while local eateries and street food vendors operate on a first-come basis.

What Does Stone Town Cost in 2026?

Visiting Stone Town costs $60–$90 per person daily for budget travelers, $120–$180 for mid-range comfort, and $250–$400 or more for luxury experiences in 2026, excluding accommodation. Budget allocations include walking tours at $15–$25, spice tours at $35–$50, and major attraction entries at $5–$15 per site. Meals range from $3–$8 for street food to $15–$30 for mid-range dining.

Best Time to Visit Stone Town