Stone Town is the old heart of Zanzibar City, on the west coast of the island of Unguja, and it is a maze of narrow lanes, coral-stone houses, carved doors and mosques that grew out of centuries of trade across the Indian Ocean. Monsoon winds carried dhows from Arabia, Persia and India to this coast, and Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences have mixed here, leaving a town that is a World Heritage property. The huge wooden doors, studded with brass spikes and carved with chains and flowers, were once a sign of a merchant's wealth, and some are over two hundred years old.
The town's wealth came from spices, especially cloves, and from the slave trade, which flourished in the nineteenth century, when Zanzibar was the largest slave market on the East African coast. The Anglican cathedral, built in the 1870s after the trade was ended, stands on the site of the old slave market, and below it are cramped underground chambers where captives were held. Nearby are the Old Fort, built by Omani Arabs in the late seventeenth century, and the House of Wonders, a huge ceremonial palace, the first building in East Africa to have electricity and an elevator. Freddie Mercury was born here, and a house on Shangani Street is marked with his name.
In the evening, the Forodhani Gardens by the sea fill with food stalls selling grilled seafood, sugar-cane juice and the local pizza, a thin folded pancake filled with egg, meat and vegetables. The sun sets over the harbour, and the dhows glide home in the last light. The lanes are too narrow for most vehicles, so you walk, and the only danger is getting lost, which is part of the fun.
Riding on Zanzibar is feasible, as scooters and small motorcycles are widely rented, and a temporary local licence is needed, so check the rules with the rental company. Roads on the island are mostly tarmac, with speed bumps and potholes, and drivers keep to the left. Fuel stations are in the town and along the main roads, with fewer in the north. The main road to the beaches of Nungwi and Paje passes spice farms, villages and palm groves, and the heat is strong, so ride in the morning or late in the afternoon.