Zanzibar, Tanzania
Zanzibar is a regional capital of 709,809 people in Zanzibar Urban/West, Tanzania.
Why visit Zanzibar
Townapedia lists 48 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 138 places to eat, 56 places to stay and 9 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Kiungani Rear Range Lighthouse, Marubi Palace Gardens Range Rear Lighthouse, Tippu Tip's House and House of Wonders.
Weather in Zanzibar
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Zanzibar
Zanzibar City or Mjini District, often simply referred to as Zanzibar (Wilaya ya Zanzibar Mjini or Jiji la Zanzibar in Swahili), is one of two administrative districts of Mjini Magharibi Region in Tanzania. The district covers an area of 15.4 km2 (5.9 sq mi). The district has a water border to the west by the Indian Ocean. The district is bordered to the east by Magharibi District.
From the Wikipedia article Zanzibar City (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos of Zanzibar
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Things to do9
Kiungani Rear Range Lighthouse
Lighthouse · 2.1 km
Lighthouse in Tanzania
Marubi Palace Gardens Range Rear Lighthouse
Lighthouse · 1.3 km
Lighthouse in Tanzania
Museums and landmarks48
Hamamni Persian Baths
Monument and historic site · 0.8 km
Hamamni Street, Stone Town
HMS Pegasus
Monument and historic site · 1.8 km
1897 Pelorus-class protected cruiser
36 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes138
Harbour Indian Kitchen by Chili & Lime
Restaurant · Indian · 0.9 km
Soko Muhogo Street
Mo-Su 08:30-22:00
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Cafe Miwa
Cafe · Cake, Sandwich, Coffee Shop · 1.1 km
Kenyatta Road
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
Urojo @ Jitini
Restaurant · African · 0.9 km
Jamatini Road
Mo-Su 08:00-18:00
Cape Town Fish Market
Restaurant · Seafood, Sushi, International · 1.1 km
Masa Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.1 km
Mo-Su,PH 11:00-22:00
Stone Town Cafe
Restaurant · Coffee Shop, Local · 1.1 km
Kenyatta Road
Mo-Su 07:00-22:00
Taverna Pirate Bay
Restaurant · Russian, Seafood, Coffee Shop, African · 0.9 km
481 Soko Muhogo Street
126 more on the map.
History
In 1592, the first English ship arrived in port. In 1824, Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman established the capital of his kingdom in the city. The city was a high place of slavery, one of the main ports of East Africa for the slave trade. The famous slave trader Tippu Tip lived there. In 1846, the island had 360,000 enslaved for 450,000 inhabitants. In 1866, the British explorer David Livingstone (1813–1873) stayed in Zanzibar to prepare his last expedition to Tanzania. In 1892, Zanzibar was declared a free port.
From the History section of Zanzibar City on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Zanzibar
Freddie MercuryBritish singer, songwriter and musician, frontman of the rock band Queen (1946–1991)Photo: Carl Lender, CC BY-SA 3.0
Abdulrazak GurnahTanzanian-born British writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (2021) (born 1948)Photo: flowcomm, CC BY 2.0
Abdul SheriffTanzanian academic and museum directorPhoto: Peter Bennett / ZIFF, CC BY 2.0
April OlrichBritish actor (1931-2014)Photo: Nigelpegram, CC BY-SA 4.0- Samia Suluhu HassanPresident of Tanzania since 2021
- Majid bin Said Al BusaidiSultan of Zanzibar (1834-1870)
- Emily RueteGerman writer, emigrated princess of Zanzibar (1844-1924)
- Khamis Mcha KhamisZanzibar footballer
- Abdalla KheriTanzanian footballer
- Trevor FernandesAmerican hockey player
- Suad al LamkiyahOmani lawyer (1938– 2021)
.jpg){kind=link}
Born in Zanzibar, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay56
Churches and places of worship61
Friday Mosque
Place of worship · Sunni · 0.8 km
Mizingani Rd, Zanzibar Stone Town
Masjid Afra bint Issa
Place of worship · Sunni · 1.7 km
Kidongo Chekundu, Zanzibar Town
Shopping92
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries61
Healthcare57
Map of Zanzibar
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 km away.
- Bububu 7 km north, about 7 min by car
- Koani Ndogo 10 km east, about 10 min by car
- Koani 10 km east, about 10 min by car
- Kiwengwa 28 km northeast, about 28 min by car
- Gamba 31 km north, about 31 min by car
- Mkokotoni 33 km north, about 33 min by car
- Kijini 37 km north, about 37 min by car
- Mahonda 44 km southeast, about 44 min by car
- Bagamoyo 45 km southwest, about 45 min by car
- Dar es Salaam 74 km south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Stone Town, Zanzibar (1), Paul Brockmeyer from Chicago, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Urban blight at the Michenzani housing project, Zanzibar town, Tanzania, Loranchet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zanzibar StoneTown, Wegmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Temple at Zanzibar, neiljs, CC BY 2.0
- Pavle Ćosić sa suprugom u Zanzibaru, Nepobediva, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Door Detail, Zanzibar (8099658421), Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zanzibar 2012 06 06 4202 (7592240542), Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Stone Town, Zanzibar Town, Tanzania - panoramio (9), Alex Petrenko, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zanzibar 2012 06 06 4206 (7592235730), Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zanzibar 2012 06 06 4204 (7592237684), Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zanzibar 2012 06 06 4205 (7592236222), Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zanzibar 2012 06 06 4203 (7592239640), Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Darajani market scene, Mjini, Zanzibar, Mangapwani, CC BY-SA 4.0
- An antique shop in Zanzibar, Willem van der Horst, CC BY 2.0
- Old Fort Zanzibar, 2010, Willem van der Horst, CC BY 2.0
- People sell fish at the famed fish market in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Stechouse42, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ZanzibarTipputip, DidierTais, CC BY-SA 3.0
- House of wonders, Moongateclimber, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Forodhani jubilee gardens Zanzibar, Moongateclimber, Public domain
- Stone Town, St. Joseph Cathedral, David Berkowitz, CC BY 2.0
- Old dispensary front, Stone Town, Moongateclimber, Public domain
- Christ Church Stone Town Zanzibar, This photo was taken by Anton Zelenov . Please credit this with : Photo : Anton Zelenov in the immediate vicinity of the image. If you use one of my photos, please email me (account needed) or leave..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ijumaa Mosque, LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hamamni Persian Baths, LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palace Museum, Forodhani, Willem van der Horst, CC BY 2.0
- Interior, Stone Town (8022970547), Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Market (7928093184), Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- MV Spice Islander I, Kyle Taylor, CC BY 2.0
- Stone Town Persian Door bottom, MMo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stone Town Persian Door top, MMo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mapinduzi square 02, Othiniely, CC0
- Mapinduzi square 01, Othiniely, CC0
- Outside (6065783826), imke.sta, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Stone Town Door (7927089064), Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bus Stone Town-2, Fanny Schertzer, CC BY 2.5
- Bus Stone Town, Fanny Schertzer, CC BY 2.5
- Darajani Market entry, Mjini DC, Mangapwani, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stone Town 2022 062, Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Forodhani Park, 2010, Willem van der Horst, CC BY 2.0
- Stone Town TZ Street, Willem van der Horst from London, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Peace Memorial Museum (34651952142), David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Street-level photo, federicodebetto, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, khastylez, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, omarshehe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, chrisbeddow, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ralebipim, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, federicodebetto, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, omarshehe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, chrisbeddow, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, jopparn, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, omarshehe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ralebipim, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, omarshehe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, eneerhut, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, chrisbeddow, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, omarshehe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, federicodebetto, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.