Zanzibar is an island where every corner holds a story. From ruined palaces to cathedrals and forts, you can trace centuries of change in its stone walls and hidden courtyards. Taking a road trip is the best way to connect with the island’s past while traveling at your own pace. You can start from Stone Town and then move outward to palaces, ruins, and museums along the coast. When you rent a car, you can stop where you like, spend more time in quiet ruins, and see places that group tours often skip. Here are the seven best historical places in Zanzibar you should not miss.
When you arrive at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, renting a car is the most convenient choice. You can pick up your vehicle as soon as you land, which saves time and avoids the hassle of arranging separate transport to your hotel.Choose Downtown Zanzibar as your pick-up location if you prefer to explore the city first before renting. Many offices are near hotels and local markets, so you can pick up a car after enjoying a few days in Stone Town.
The Ferry Terminal rental offices are practical if you arrive by sea. You can immediately step off the ferry from Dar es Salaam and get behind the wheel. It saves you from taking a taxi across town to reach an office. No matter which spot you choose, always check your booking details, ask about fuel policies, and inspect the car before driving off. This helps you avoid extra charges.
Zanzibar’s landmarks document its royal, colonial, and religious history. These sites include ruined palaces, missionary settlements, defensive forts, and preserved museums. Each location has architectural evidence, cultural records, and artifacts that explain the island’s political and social past.
Just 4 km north of Stone Town, you will find the remains of Maruhubi Palace, once built in 1881–1882 by Sultan Barghash. He created it as a pleasure house for his harem, with gardens filled with mango trees from India. The palace was one of the grandest on the island. Its high walls were inspired by the parks Sultan Barghash saw in England during his travels. Sadly, a fire in 1899 left it in ruins.
Today, you can still see the great stone pillars that held up the upper floor, a Persian-stle bathhouse, and the old water tanks, now filled with lilies. At the back of the beach, arches and steps mark what was once the reception area. When you visit, you can reach the site by following the road north from Stone Town toward Bububu. Dala-dalas also pass along Route B, but driving gives you more freedom. Walking among the ruins, you can imagine the grandeur that once filled this place.
Mtoni Palace is the oldest royal palace in Zanzibar. It was built in the early 19th century for Sultan Said. Today, it is a quiet ruin about 5 km north of Stone Town. Princess Salme was born here, and Sultan Barghash grew up before building the House of Wonders. The palace included courtyards, colonnades facing the sea, and separate baths for women and the sultan himself. Over time, Mtoni was abandoned as newer palaces were built closer to Stone Town. The sea and the weather slowly wore down the coral stone, leaving arches open to the sky and a keyhole-shaped pool now filled with leaves.
Conservation efforts have helped protect the site. Archaeological surveys revealed more about its history, and a small museum keeps excavation finds safe. Cultural events like concerts and dance shows have also been held in its restored courtyards. When you wander here, you’ll notice moss-covered walls, carved plaster remains, and birdsong filling the silence. It feels less like a ruin forgotten and more like a place paused in time.
The Mbweni Ruins hold a different part of Zanzibar’s history. In the 19th century, this was a missionary settlement run by the Church Missionary Society. The site included a mission house, school, and dormitories for freed slave girls. Here, they learned agriculture, domestic work, and practical skills to rebuild their lives.
Walking through the remains, you can see fragments of classrooms and the old plantation grounds. The site reminds visitors of Zanzibar’s colonial history and the role of missionaries during that time. It is a powerful place to understand how education and empowerment were part of the island’s past. Today, Mbweni combines history with leisure. There is a boutique hotel with only 30 guest rooms set among the ruins. Guests can enjoy the spa, gardens, ocean views, a freshwater pool, and bars overlooking the sea at sunset.
The Zanzibar Old Fort is one of the most striking landmarks in Stone Town. Built around 1700 by Omani Arabs after they expelled the Portuguese, it stands on the site of an old chapel and fortified houses. The fort’s thick stone walls have survived centuries, showing the military strength that once protected the coast.
Later, in 1836, Sultan Seyyid Said added an eastern half for his garrison. Over time, the fort served many roles, from prison to railway station, and even a ladies' club. Today, it has been transformed into a cultural hub. Festivals such as ZIFF (Zanzibar International Film Festival) and Sauti za Busara fill their open courtyards with music, dance, and art. When you walk through its gates, you can see traces of Portuguese structures still built into the walls.
At the southern end of Stone Town is the Peace Memorial Museum, also known as Beit al Amani. Built in 1925 by British architect J.H. Sinclair, the whitewashed building, with its large dome and arabesque windows, resembles a mosque or basilica. This Zanzibar museum once displayed exhibits on slavery, trade, explorers, and crafts. Many of these have since been moved to the House of Wonders as that museum develops.
Today, the Peace Memorial functions mainly as a library, though it reopened in 2024 with renewed displays. Next door, you can also visit the Natural History Museum, which focuses on Zanzibar’s plants and wildlife. When you stop here, you will notice its unique hexagonal plan and smaller domes surrounding the central one. The building reflects Zanzibar’s British colonial period.
Walking through the narrow streets of Stone Town, you will see the twin spires of Saint Joseph’s Cathedral rising above the rooftops. It was built between 1893 and 1897 by French missionaries. The cathedral is one of the most important Christian landmarks on the island.
The French architect who designed it also worked on Marseille Cathedral, and the influence shows in its Gothic Revival stle. Tiles, stained-glass windows, and murals were all imported from France. Though some murals have been poorly restored, the cathedral’s interior gives a sense of European influence in East Africa.
The cathedral is still an active place of worship, with weekly masses held in several languages for locals and visitors alike. If you plan to enter, remember that outside mass times, the front doors may be locked. Access is through the convent courtyard at the back. It is a landmark that shows Zanzibar’s religious diversity and colonial past.
The Palace Museum or “Sultan’s Place” is a historic royal residence in Stone Town. It was once home to sultans and later became a government site. Today, it is a museum showing Zanzibar’s royal history and political changes. Originally, this was the site of Beit el Sahel (House of the Coast), built between 1827 and 1834 for Sultan Said. Later, it was connected by passages to Beit el Hukm (House of Government) and Beit al Ajaib (House of Wonders). Together, these formed a royal complex.
The famous bombardment of 1896 destroyed Beit el Hukm and badly damaged Beit el Sahel. What you see today was rebuilt on its remains, expanded with Omani-stle crenellations, marble floors, and coral stone walls. Sultan Khalifa bin Harub lived here until the 1964 Revolution. After that, it became the People’s Palace, which was used for government meetings. In 1994, it was converted into the Palace Museum. Today, you can tour its halls, see family items of the sultans, and walk in gardens shaded by palm trees. Two cannons made in Boston in 1868 guard the way at the entrance.
The Kizimkazi Mosque in the south is one of the best historical places in Zanzibar. Built in 1107, it is among the oldest Islamic structures in East Africa. The mosque is made of coral stone and features Kufic script inscriptions carved into the mihrab. Its location on a coastal village shows how early Islam reached Zanzibar through maritime trade routes. The building has been repaired and expanded over the centuries, but its foundation and inscriptions remain original. Visiting the mosque gives you a chance to study Omani, Shirazi, and Persian influences on Swahili architecture. Unlike Zanzibar museums, this site is still in religious use, so modest clothing is required.
Exploring these historical sites in Zanzibar shows you how many cultures shaped the island. From Omani palaces and Portuguese forts to French cathedrals and British museums, each place tells part of the story. Rent a car in Zanzibar with Final Rentals to visit these museums and ruins at your own pace.
