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San Jose Walking Tour: Discover Costa Rican Culture
4.9
1,149 Ratings
San José
Embark on a walking food tour in San Jose to uncover the beauty and culture of contemporary Costa Rican life. Taste local delicacies, explore historical sites, and learn about traditional remedies and exotic plants. Get a true sense of San Jose through its flavors!
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Los Presentes - The tour begins at the Monumento de los Presentes, where the city’s enduring culture amidst change is highlighted. This monument embodies the typical city inhabitants, who face the threat of disappearing due to modernization. These figures stand resolute and serious, symbolizing a quiet resistance to the sweeping changes, representing resilience and the preservation of identity.
- Central Market (Mercado Central) - The tour includes a visit to the Central Market, established in 1880, offering insights into the foundations of Costa Rican agriculture and daily life. This historic market is a lively center of local activity, showcasing the traditions and practices that have shaped Costa Rican cuisine for generations. Visitors will discover essential ingredients, meet local vendors, and learn about the agricultural practices that sustain the region, providing a perfect introduction to Costa Rica’s rich cultural tapestry.
- Metropolitan Church (Catedral Metropolitana) - The tour will visit the historic Cathedral of San José, dating back to 1788. This cathedral was part of a grand design involving the construction of five churches arranged to form a cross, symbolizing deep religious significance. Built in Romanesque style, the cathedral features beautiful architectural details and a serene atmosphere. Beneath its foundation lie catacombs, adding a layer of mystery and history. Visitors will learn about the church’s importance in Costa Rica’s religious and cultural development and the stories embedded within its walls.
- Mercado Borbón - The tour includes a visit to the Borbón Market, also known as the Market of the Carretas, where local families have sold fresh fruits and vegetables for over four generations. This bustling market is a cornerstone of the community, offering a glimpse into the daily lives of vendors who have passed down their knowledge and traditions. Visitors will be immersed in the vibrant colors, scents, and flavors of the market while learning about its rich history and its essential role in sustaining the city with fresh, local produce. This market serves as both a cultural and agricultural hub, connecting the people of the city with the region’s bountiful harvests.
- Correos de Costa Rica - This stop provides insight into why finding an address here can be challenging.
- Teatro Nacional Costa Rica - The tour includes a visit to the entrance hall of Costa Rica’s National Theater. Located in the heart of San Jose, the National Theatre (Teatro Nacional) is one of the capital city’s most popular tourist attractions. The ornate Neo-Classical theatre is considered the finest historic building in San Jose, known for its exquisite interior decorated with lavish furnishings and beautiful murals.
- Parque Espana - The walking tour also includes a visit to Spain Park, where visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature.
- Templo de la Música - Initially called La Laguna Plaza in 1887, this site was erected over a small lake where 19th-century San José inhabitants obtained mud for making adobe houses. The lake, known as the Villanueva well, was known since at least 1790. In 1808, Spanish governor Tomás de Acosta urged authorities to dry out the place. Around it, a neighborhood called La Laguna formed. Between 1853 and 1856, President Juan Rafael Mora Porras ordered the construction of the National Liquor Factory in the neighborhood, consolidating the housing presence in the area.
- Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop - The tour includes a visit to Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop, where visitors will enjoy a home-cooked meal featuring tamales made from ancient colonial recipes, lovingly prepared by a local family. Unique dishes such as banana ceviche, Guanacastecan ceviche, or pejibaye ceviche—authentic pre-Hispanic foods—are also available. The experience continues with a hands-on cooking class, where visitors will learn to make artisanal chocolate empanadas while enjoying specialty coffee brewed in traditional vandolas.
What's Included
- Enjoy local ice cream at the Central Market from a shop over 100 years old.
- Savor Costa Rican-style tamales, wrapped in banana leaves, crafted by local families.
- Indulge in traditional Caldosa corn chips, Green banana or pejibaye.
- Try fresh, seasonal fruits at the Borbón Market.
- Learn to prepare Café Chorreado with award-winning bandola coffee, and Agua de Sapo infused.
- Plantain empanadas classes with artisanal chocolate are a delicious and unique treat.
What's Not Included
- Transportation: if you need to quote transportation service, write to us.
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Unmask the beauty and culture of contemporary Costa Rican life on this San Jose walking tour. You’ll get up close and personal, through local food, history, culture even the herbal remedies of folk medicine. Enjoy exotic, fruits, in the Borbon Market. We’ll take a stroll through the vibrant Central Market, tasting local ice cream,this ice cream shop is over 100 years old. Seeing diverse sites the Cathedral, National Theater, the beautiful Morazan parks will help you get to know the country and its rich history and from this experience, you’ll have another sense taste to get more in tune with San Jose. For the end visit Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop where you will find gourmet coffees and chocolates produced by women, in this special place tasting and learn to prepare Cafe Chorreado, enjoy a local caldosa, tamal cooked by local families and wrapped in a banana leaf, learn how to make plantain empanadas with cheese, try our famous Agua de Sapo make with sugar cañe and lemon.
- Safety Tips, San Jose is a big city like any other, it is a preventive measure to dont wear flashy jewelry.
- Dont eat before the tour.
- The groups are 12 people with a guide.
- We can accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions. Please notify us in advance if you have any dietary requests.
Location
Los Presentes
Calle 4
Between Avenue one and Central Avenue on street 4, we have the Central Bank of Costa Rica, in front of the main entrance we have a Monument with several small green people, this monument is known as the Monument de los Presentes, there is where the we will be waiting to start the tour.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(1149 Ratings)
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Joshua
Aug 31, 2024
Wonderful tastes - Our guide Jampier is great. Love the fruit tastings. Love the empanadas making and finishing off with coffee tasting. It was very intimate settings. Love it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alishal430
Aug 29, 2024
Great! - Such a great experience! We highly recommend!! Angel was so kind and informative food and eats were great we enjoyed it all
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connie_k
Aug 29, 2024
Great walking experience tour - The tourist guide.
She was amazing, friendly smart and interact with the group very well. I recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Connie_m
Aug 28, 2024
Excellent tour. - Daniel was an excellent guide. We enjoyed his knowledge and insight about everything that we saw. Fruits were delicious and the tamales and empanadas were great. Highly suggest the tour.
Review provided by Viator
Kristen_f
Aug 27, 2024
Enjoyable afternoon - The tour was informative and interesting, Angel was a great guide and I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone visiting San Jose.
Review provided by Viator
Oluwa2bilobal
Aug 27, 2024
The streets of San Jose - The fruit, views, scenery and the experience in general was incredible. The entire tour was friendly enable and refreshing to walk through the streets of San Jose.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Agatha_h
Aug 26, 2024
Nice Tour of Downtown CR - Very nice experience for first time visitor like myself. About two hours of walking with numerous stops and some food tasting along the way. It’s sad to see many local folks trying to sell things illegally to make money. Andres was our guide and she’s very kind and helpful with any questions. There were 8 people in our group. The last stop was at coffee shop owned by tour operator where we made and tried empanadas and sampled more local dishes. The ginger drink was incredibly delicious! Don’t recommend buying souvenirs at this stop as they are very overpriced.
Review provided by Viator
Benjamincd7264qz
Aug 24, 2024
A must try! Excellent! - Wow!
Amazing experience and great price! My guide Dino was excellent and was great at explaining the history and the food. You get to try so much food for such a good price. Also, you visit many places in the city. A must try for sure!!
Thank you for the amazing experience Dino :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_l
Aug 24, 2024
Real Tico Culture - Our guide Daniel was amazing. Very informative and nice, he gave us a lot of information about the city and things to do. Definitely is a good tour if you want to be part of the Tico culture.
Review provided by Viator
317peggyc
Aug 23, 2024
Great tour - This was a great way to try local and seasonal fruits and ice cream while visiting the markets. Our guide Oscar was very informative and kept the pace casual. I really enjoyed the time we spent at Mr. Sloth Cafe trying and making the different foods, then the demonstration by Eric of the coffee making process.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
