Stone Town, Zanzibar

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Stone Town Of Zanzibar (2000). A 19th Century Swahili Arab Indian Trading City Of Narrow Lanes, Carved Doors And Coral Stone Houses, The Centre Of The East African Spice And Slave Trades. Landmarks Include The Old Fort, The House Of Wonders, The Anglican Cathedral Built On The Old Slave Market And Forodhani Gardens. · Stone Town, Zanzibar Urban West

Stone Town (Mji Mkongwe) is the old quarter of Zanzibar City on the island of Unguja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. It grew in the 19th century as a Swahili, Arab, Indian and European trading port and as the centre of the East African spice trade and the slave trade. Coral-stone houses crowd a maze of narrow lanes, with carved wooden doors, bazaars, mosques and a harbour front lined with food stalls. The Old Slave Market site and the Anglican Cathedral built over it are sober and moving, and deserve time and care. The Old Fort, the Palace Museum, Darajani Market and the Forodhani night food stalls all lie within a short walk of each other. The honest picture is a hot, humid and busy place, with touts, uneven lanes and some touristy food, where the real pleasure is simply getting lost on foot. You reach it by fast ferry from Dar es Salaam in about 2 hours, by a 20-minute flight, or by flight from Kilimanjaro. Many visitors spend two nights here before the beaches, and it is worth a full day or more. Dress modestly, since this is a Muslim town.

Old Swahili trading quarter on the west coast of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar, a 20-minute drive from the airport and 2 hours by ferry from Dar es Salaam, Stone Town, Zanzibar Urban West, Tanzania

The lanes and the Forodhani waterfront are open all day, and the food market comes alive in the evening. Museums, the Old Fort and the Cathedral keep DAYTIME hours and may be CLOSED on holidays or for prayer. During Ramadan many restaurants close by day, so check ahead.

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