A Walking Guide to Stone Town: What to See Before You Drive

Stone Town, the historic heart of Zanzibar City, is best met on foot first. Its alleyways are narrow, its doorways are famous for a reason, and a car simply cannot go where your own two feet can. If you’re picking up a Hamid Car Rentals vehicle on your first morning, spend a couple of hours walking before you start driving — it will make the rest of the island easier to navigate too.

Start at the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe), right on the seafront, then walk south along Mizingani Road toward the House of Wonders and the Sultan’s Palace Museum, both built in the late 1800s and among the most photographed buildings on the island. From there, duck inland into the tangle of streets that make up the old town proper — this is where the carved wooden doors Zanzibar is famous for live, along with small spice shops, tailors and coffee vendors working from doorways barely wider than a person.

A few landmarks worth building your route around:

– Forodhani Gardens, a waterfront park that turns into a lively night food market every evening, grilled seafood skewers and Zanzibar pizza included.
– The Old Slave Market and Anglican Cathedral, a sobering and important stop that explains much of the island’s history.
– Darajani Market, the main local market, good for spices, fruit and a genuine sense of daily life away from the tourist strip.

A practical note for drivers: Stone Town’s core is largely pedestrianised or so narrow that a car cannot pass, and parking is limited. This is exactly why our Stone Town pickup point exists — most visitors explore the old town on foot or by short taxi hop, then collect their Hamid Car Rentals vehicle when they’re ready to head out to the beaches, Jozani Forest, or further up the coast. If you’re staying inside Stone Town itself, consider timing your car pickup for the morning you actually leave for Nungwi, Paje or the airport, rather than for your first day in town.

Give yourself at least half a day to wander without a fixed itinerary — Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site precisely because it rewards getting a little lost.