Must-see attractions in Zanzibar Town

  • House of Wonders, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

    House of Wonders

    Zanzibar Town

    An icon of Stone Town, the House of Wonders rises in impressive tiers of slender steel pillars and balconies overlooking the waterfront. Its enormous…

  • Forodhani Gardens in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

    Forodhani Gardens

    Zanzibar Town

    One of the best ways to ease into Zanzibar life is to stop by this waterfront public space. It's a social hub for tourists and locals alike; there's a…

  • The Old Dispensary in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

    Old Dispensary

    Zanzibar Town

    With its peppermint-green latticework balconies and sculpted clock tower, this 19th-century charitable dispensary is one of the most attractive landmarks…

  • ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA - OCTOBER 6:  (.)  Tourists look towards the sunset while resting on a roof top restaurant at the Emerson & Green Hotel October 6, 2002 in Stone town in central Zanzibar, Tanzania. Zanzibar has become a popular tourist destination due to the beautiful virgin beaches and influence of Arabic, Indian and African cultures on the island.  (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

    Princess Salme Museum

    Zanzibar Town

    Carefully curated by the renowned historian Said al Gheithy, this delightful little museum tells the story of Princess Salme, a sultan's daughter who…

  • Tanzania, Zanzibar, Stone Town. The Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ had its foundation stone laid on Christmas Day 1873

    Anglican Cathedral

    Zanzibar Town

    The tall spire and grey-yellow walls of the Anglican cathedral dominate the surrounding streets in this part of Stone Town, while the dark-wood pews and…

  • The Sultan's Palace (Palace Museum) is one of the main historical buildings of Stone Town, Zanzibar as seen at sunset.

    Palace Museum

    Zanzibar Town

    Occupying several large buildings along the waterfront, this was the palace of Sultan Seyyid Said from 1828 until it was largely destroyed by the British…

  • Paintings for sale outside Old Fort, Stone Town.

    Old Fort

    Zanzibar Town

    With its pale-orange ramparts overlooking Forodhani Gardens and the ocean beyond, the fort was built by Omani Arabs when they seized the island from the…

  • Darajani Market, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

    Darajani Market

    Zanzibar Town

    Zanzibar's main market is a hive of activity, with everything – from spices, fresh fish, slabs of meat and huge baskets full of live chickens to sandals,…

  • Catholic Cathedral

    Zanzibar Town

    One of the first sights travellers see when arriving by ferry are the twin spires of the Roman Catholic cathedral. Serving the local Catholic community,…

  • Kidichi Persian Baths

    Zanzibar Town

    Sultan Seyyid Said built this bathhouse at Kidichi (11km northeast of Zanzibar Town) in 1850 for his Persian wife, Scheherezade. The royal couple would…

  • Mtoni Palace

    Zanzibar Town

    Overlooking the coast, away from the heat and hustle of Zanzibar Town, Mtoni Palace was built for Sultan Seyyid Said in 1828. It was home to the sultan’s…

  • Maruhubi Palace

    Zanzibar Town

    Maruhubi Palace was built outside Zanzibar Town in 1882 for Sultan Barghash to house his impressively large harem. A few years later it was destroyed by…

  • Mercury House

    Zanzibar Town

    Freddie Mercury, the former lead singer of Queen, was born in Zanzibar in 1946 where his name was Farrokh Bulsara. His father worked for the British…

  • Aga Khan Mosque

    Zanzibar Town

    In the Kiponda area of Stone Town, this mosque is one of the largest in Zanzibar, catering to the Ismaili community since 1905. The beautifully detailed…

  • Mbweni Ruins

    Zanzibar Town

    The upmarket suburb of Mbweni, 5km south of Zanzibar Town, was a Universities Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) base and settlement for former slaves in…

  • Hamamni Persian Baths

    Zanzibar Town

    Built by Sultan Barghash in the late 19th century, these were the first public baths on Zanzibar. The various rooms were renovated in 2017 and, although…

  • Ijumaa Mosque

    Zanzibar Town

    This lovely Arabesque-style mosque is one of the largest in Stone Town. As an Ijumma (Friday) mosque, the faithful come to pray here, rather than at their…

  • Beit el-Amani

    Zanzibar Town

    This domed building, formerly the Peace Memorial Museum and now an archive, dates to 1925, when it was inaugurated as a memorial to the accords ending WWI…

  • State House

    Zanzibar Town

    Zanzibar's presidential palace was originally designed by British architect John Sinclair as the British Residency in 1903. Today it is not open to…

  • Victoria Hall & Gardens

    Zanzibar Town

    Sitting quietly on Kaunda Rd, surrounded by decaying and overgrown gardens, Victoria Hall housed the legislative council during the British era. It's now…

  • Cine Afrique

    Zanzibar Town

    It's no longer a working cinema, but the grand old Cine Afrique is an art deco gem and a significant landmark.

  • Big Tree

    Zanzibar Town

    A venerable landmark on the waterfront, and popular meeting spot for passengers taking boat rides.

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