Old Fort (Stone Town) Travel Guide - Free

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Old Fort
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Old Fort in Stone Town, Tanzania, brings together Swahili history, seafront walks, Forodhani evenings, cultural performances and heritage architecture.

A Fortified Centre of Stone Town

Old Fort occupies one of the most recognisable corners of Stone Town, facing the Indian Ocean beside Forodhani Gardens and the waterfront. Known locally as Ngome Kongwe, the fortress is built from coral rag and occupies the site of an earlier Portuguese structure, giving this compact area a layered architectural identity. Its thick walls, arched entrances and open interior contrast with the narrow lanes and carved-door houses that define the surrounding historic town.
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History in the Streets

The fort was built by the Omani rulers after they expelled the Portuguese from Zanzibar in the late seventeenth century, and its position reflects Stone Town’s importance as a maritime and commercial centre. Today, the area is a practical starting point for exploring nearby landmarks, including the House of Wonders and the former Sultan’s Palace, although visitors should distinguish these waterfront buildings from the Old Fort itself. The fort’s interior has served cultural purposes, including performances and festival events, while its outer walls remain one of the clearest physical reminders of Zanzibar’s fortified past.

Waterfront Culture and Evening Life

During the day, the Old Fort area is shaped by heritage sightseeing, local movement and the steady presence of visitors. At dusk, the nearby seafront becomes more animated as Forodhani’s food stalls and public promenade draw residents and travellers. The surrounding lanes lead towards spice shops, cafés, galleries and historic religious buildings, but the atmosphere changes quickly from open waterfront to shaded, intimate streets. Exploring on foot allows the fort, market life and Stone Town’s architectural details to be understood as parts of one closely connected historic landscape.

Best attractions in Old Fort

The Old Fort itself is the principal attraction, with substantial coral-stone walls, arched gateways and an open courtyard that reveal how Zanzibar’s rulers transformed an earlier Portuguese site into an Omani stronghold. Its cultural spaces have hosted performances and festival events, although programmes and access can vary. Immediately outside, Forodhani Gardens provides a seafront promenade and an evening food market atmosphere, while the waterfront offers views towards the harbour and the island’s maritime setting. Nearby buildings such as the House of Wonders and the former Sultan’s Palace are important parts of Stone Town’s waterfront heritage, but should be understood as adjacent landmarks rather than sections of the fort. The surrounding lanes add much of the area’s appeal: carved wooden doors, coral-stone walls, small galleries, spice shops and cafés create a compact route between major sights and the everyday life of the old town.

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Best landmarks in Old Fort

Old Fort, or Ngome Kongwe, is the defining landmark: a robust coral-rag enclosure built under Omani rule on a site linked with Zanzibar’s Portuguese past. Its walls and courtyard express Stone Town’s strategic relationship with the Indian Ocean and its development as a fortified port. The fort stands beside Forodhani Gardens, whose open waterfront setting has become an important public space, and near the House of Wonders and former Sultan’s Palace, two prominent buildings on the historic seafront. These neighbouring structures should not be conflated with the fort, but together they convey the concentration of political and ceremonial architecture in this part of Stone Town. The surrounding historic lanes, carved doors and coral-stone façades are also significant, forming a lived architectural setting rather than a collection of isolated monuments.

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Explore Old Fort on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Old Fort, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Old Fort

Dining around Old Fort is closely tied to Stone Town’s waterfront and its mixture of Swahili, Arab, Indian and wider Indian Ocean influences. Forodhani Gardens becomes the area’s best-known evening food setting, with vendors preparing dishes such as Zanzibar pizza, grilled seafood and skewered meats in a public market atmosphere. Quality and hygiene can vary between stalls, so visitors should observe which vendors are busy and how food is handled. The lanes around the fort contain cafés, juice sellers and small restaurants rather than a single formal dining quarter, while nearby streets offer curries, rice dishes, seafood and spiced Swahili cooking. Eating here is as much about the setting and social movement around the seafront as it is about a restaurant meal; visitors should also remember that menus, stalls and individual businesses change over time.

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Best bars in Old Fort

The Old Fort area is more associated with waterfront dining, cultural events and evening strolling than with a concentrated nightclub scene. After sunset, Forodhani Gardens becomes the main gathering point, with food stalls, the promenade and views across the harbour creating a sociable public setting. A few nearby hotels, restaurants and cafés provide places for a drink, while music and performance events may take place at the fort or elsewhere in Stone Town according to the cultural calendar. Nightlife is generally modest and dispersed rather than organised around one club strip, and the atmosphere changes quickly once visitors leave the active waterfront. Respect local Muslim customs, keep noise down near residential lanes and arrange a trusted taxi when travelling beyond the old town after dark.

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Best nightclubs in Old Fort

The Old Fort area is more associated with waterfront dining, cultural events and evening strolling than with a concentrated nightclub scene. After sunset, Forodhani Gardens becomes the main gathering point, with food stalls, the promenade and views across the harbour creating a sociable public setting. A few nearby hotels, restaurants and cafés provide places for a drink, while music and performance events may take place at the fort or elsewhere in Stone Town according to the cultural calendar. Nightlife is generally modest and dispersed rather than organised around one club strip, and the atmosphere changes quickly once visitors leave the active waterfront. Respect local Muslim customs, keep noise down near residential lanes and arrange a trusted taxi when travelling beyond the old town after dark.

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Best shops in Old Fort

Shopping around Old Fort is primarily small-scale and visitor-oriented, with shops and stalls in the surrounding Stone Town lanes selling spices, textiles, carved objects, jewellery, artwork and souvenirs connected to Zanzibar’s Indian Ocean trading culture. The area near the waterfront and Forodhani Gardens is useful for browsing rather than for conventional department-store retail, and products vary between individual sellers. Visitors should compare workmanship and materials, ask politely about prices and keep receipts for substantial purchases. The most distinctive retail experience comes from moving between small independent businesses, galleries and market-style stalls while observing the carved doors and historic façades around them. Spice products and crafts are widely associated with Zanzibar, but travellers should avoid assuming that every item labelled as local was produced on the island.

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Old Fort essentials

Getting There
Old Fort is in the centre of Stone Town and is reached most conveniently on foot from the old town’s main entrances and waterfront roads. Taxis and local vehicles can usually drop visitors near the seafront or the approach to Forodhani Gardens, after which the fort is a short walk away. From Zanzibar’s airport or ferry terminal, visitors generally travel by taxi or arranged transfer into Stone Town; the ferry terminal is within walking distance of the historic centre, although luggage and heat can make a taxi more practical. Confirm the final drop-off point locally, as vehicles cannot use the narrow lanes around the fort.
Getting Around
The Old Fort area is best explored on foot. The fort, Forodhani Gardens, the waterfront and several major Stone Town buildings are close together, but the historic lanes can be narrow, irregular and occasionally difficult to navigate. Coral-stone paving and uneven surfaces require sensible footwear, while some entrances and older buildings may not be fully accessible to visitors with mobility limitations. Walking is generally quicker than trying to move between nearby sights by vehicle. For destinations outside the old town, use a licensed taxi or locally arranged transport rather than assuming that a car can reach every street.
Safety
The Old Fort and waterfront are busy public areas, so keep phones, wallets and cameras secure in crowds, particularly around food stalls and busy pedestrian routes. Take care near the seafront edge and when crossing roads at the boundaries of Stone Town, where traffic, motorcycles and pedestrians share limited space. After dark, remain on active, well-used routes and arrange transport if travelling beyond the old town. Take ordinary precautions with bags and valuables, and follow advice from accommodation staff or local authorities about current conditions and public events.
Emergency Situations
In Tanzania, dial 112 for emergency assistance and state clearly that you are in Stone Town, Zanzibar, giving the nearest recognisable point such as Old Fort or Forodhani Gardens. Ask your accommodation, guide or tour organiser to help communicate with police, fire or medical services if language or location details become difficult. Carry identification and relevant travel-insurance information, and keep essential medicines with you. For non-urgent medical needs, seek guidance from a reputable hotel, clinic or pharmacy rather than relying on an unverified facility near the fort.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress respectfully when moving between the waterfront, historic lanes and religious buildings, remembering that Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim society; shoulders and knees should generally be covered when visiting places of worship. Ask permission before photographing people, performers or private doorways, and do not climb on fort walls or handle historic masonry. At Forodhani, inspect food before ordering and avoid blocking busy stalls while taking photographs. Keep voices low near homes at night, bargain courteously where bargaining is customary, and treat Stone Town’s old buildings as lived heritage rather than a film set.
Local Tips
Begin at the Old Fort, then walk along the waterfront and through the lanes towards the House of Wonders and former Sultan’s Palace, checking locally which buildings are open before planning an interior visit. Return to Forodhani Gardens towards evening for the public promenade and food stalls, but allow time to explore the side streets when they are quieter. A locally knowledgeable guide can explain the fort’s Omani history, Stone Town’s architectural details and the cultural meanings behind places that are easy to pass without context.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloJambo[jahm-boh]
GoodbyeKwaheri[kwah-heh-ree]
YesNdio[n-dee-oh]
NoHapana[hah-pah-nah]
Please/You're welcomeTafadhali[tah-fah-dah-lee]
Thank youAsante[ah-sahn-teh]
Excuse me/SorrySamahani[sah-mah-hah-nee]
How are you?Habari gani?[hah-bah-ree gah-nee]
Fine. And you?Nzuri. Na wewe?[n-zoo-ree. nah weh-weh]
Do you speak English?Unazungumza Kiingereza?[oo-nah-zoo-ngoom-zah kee-een-geh-reh-zah]
I don't understandSielewi[see-leh-wee]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseNingependa kuona menyu, tafadhali[nee-ngeh-pehn-dah kwoh-nah meh-nyoo, tah-fah-dah-lee]
I don't eat meatSili nyama[see-lee nyah-mah]
Cheers!Afya![ah-fyah]
I would like to pay, pleaseNingependa kulipa, tafadhali[nee-ngeh-pehn-dah koo-lee-pah, tah-fah-dah-lee]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Msaada![msah-ah-dah]
Go away!Nenda zako![nen-dah zah-koh]
Call the Police!Piga simu polisi![pee-gah see-moo poh-lee-see]
Call a doctor!Piga simu daktari![pee-gah see-moo dahk-tah-ree]
I'm lostNimepotea[nee-meh-poh-teh-ah]
I'm illNinaumwa[nee-nah-oom-wah]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ningependa kununua...[nee-ngeh-pehn-dah koo-noo-nwah]
I'm just lookingNatazama tu[nah-tah-zah-mah too]
How much is it?Bei ni kiasi gani?[bay nee kyah-see gah-nee]
That's too expensiveHiyo ni ghali sana[hee-yoh nee gah-lee sah-nah]
Can you lower the price?Unaweza kupunguza bei?[oo-nah-weh-zah koo-poon-goo-zah bay]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Saa ngapi?[sah-ah ngah-pee]
It's one o'clockSaa moja[sah-ah moh-jah]
Half past (10)Saa moja na nusu[sah-ah moh-jah nah noo-soo]
MorningAsubuhi[ah-soo-boo-hee]
AfternoonMchana[m-chah-nah]
EveningJioni[joh-nee]
YesterdayJana[jah-nah]
TodayLeo[leh-oh]
TomorrowKesho[keh-shoh]
1Moja[moh-jah]
2Mbili[m-bee-lee]
3Tatu[tah-too]
4Nne[n-neh]
5Tano[tah-noh]
6Sita[see-tah]
7Saba[sah-bah]
8Nane[nah-neh]
9Tisa[tee-sah]
10Kumi[koo-mee]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Iko wapi...?[ee-koh wah-pee]
What's the address?Anwani ni ipi?[ahn-wah-nee nee ee-pee]
Can you show me (on the map)?Unaweza kunionyesha (kwenye ramani)?[oo-nah-weh-zah koo-nee-oh-nyeh-shah (kweh-neh rah-mah-nee)]
When's the next (bus)?Basi lifuata lini?[bah-see lee-foo-ah-tah lee-nee]
A ticket (to ....)Tiketi (kwenda ...)[tee-keh-tee (kwehn-dah)]

History of Old Fort

Portuguese Beginnings

The Old Fort stands on a site associated with Portuguese occupation of Zanzibar, when the island formed part of a wider Indian Ocean trading world connected to the East African coast, Arabia and South Asia. Portuguese control was eventually challenged by Omani forces, who captured Zanzibar in the late seventeenth century. Although the present fortress is chiefly associated with the Omani period, its location reflects the strategic value of the waterfront: it overlooked maritime approaches and occupied a central position within the settlement that developed into Stone Town.

The Omani Fortress

After the Portuguese were expelled, Omani rulers constructed the substantial stone fort generally dated to the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century. Built from local coral rag, it combined defensive walls with an interior enclosure and became known as Ngome Kongwe, or Old Fort. Its position beside the sea and near the principal urban centre illustrates Stone Town’s role under Omani rule, when Zanzibar grew in importance as a political capital, port and commercial crossroads. The fort’s surviving fabric is among the most direct reminders of that transformation.

A Changing Urban Role

As Stone Town expanded and political, commercial and residential functions spread through the surrounding streets, the fort’s military importance declined. The area remained closely connected to the waterfront, markets and public life, while neighbouring buildings reflected the town’s Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences. The fort was reused for civic and cultural purposes rather than remaining solely a defensive installation. Its courtyard and walls later provided a setting for public performances and cultural events, helping maintain the structure’s place in everyday urban life.

Heritage and Cultural Use

During the twentieth century and after Zanzibar’s political changes, the Old Fort became increasingly valued as part of Stone Town’s historic character. Conservation efforts across the old town recognised the importance of its coral-stone buildings, waterfront setting and multicultural architectural heritage; Stone Town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. The fort now functions principally as a heritage and cultural site, while its surroundings connect historic interpretation with public events, evening food culture and the continuing life of Zanzibar’s principal old town.

Old Fort in Photos

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The closest neighbourhoods to Old Fort, if you have time for more than one stop.

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