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"Vibrant hues and fresh flavors converge at the bustling Borbon Fruit Market, where nature's bounty awaits to tantalize the senses. #MarketMoments #FreshFinds"
Bites and Sights - Walking Food Tour in San Jose Small Group
San Jose, Making your own empanadas , San Jose Bites and sights Tour
Bites and Sights - Walking Food Tour in San Jose Small Group
Bites and Sights: Walking Food Tour in San Jose

San Jose: Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour including Markets

By San Jose Urban Tours
9.8 out of 10
Free cancellation available
Price is AU$54 per adult
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Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 3h 30m
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
  • Multiple languages
Overview

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 Theatre, the beautiful Central and 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, in this special place tasting and learn to prepare Cafe Chorreado, enjoy coffee tasting, tradicional caldosa, tamal cooked by local families and wrapped in a banana leaf, make your own plantain empanadas with cheese, try our famous Agua de Sapo make with ginger, sugar cane and lemon.

Activity location

  • Los Presentes
    • Calle 4
    • San José, San José, Costa Rica

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Los Presentes
    • Calle 4
    • San José, San José, Costa Rica

Check availability

Bites and Sights - Walking Food Tour in San Jose Small Group or Private
  • Activity duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes3h 30m
    3h 30m
  • English
Starting time: 3:00 pm
Price details
AU$53.76 x 1 AdultAU$53.76
Total
Price is AU$53.76

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's includedEnjoy local ice cream at the Central Market from a shop over 100 years old.
  • What's includedWhat's includedSavour Costa Rican-style tamales, wrapped in banana leaves, crafted by local families
  • What's includedWhat's includedIndulge the traditional Caldosa corn chips, Green banana or pejibaye
  • What's includedWhat's includedTry fresh, seasonal fruits at the Borbón Market.
  • What's includedWhat's includedThe tour is capped at 12 people for a personalised small-group experience.
  • What's includedWhat's includedPlantain empanadas classes with artisanal chocolate are delicious and unique treat
  • What's includedWhat's includedLearn to prepare Café Chorreado with award-winning vandola coffee, and Agua de Sapo infused .
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedTransport: if you need to quote transport service, write to us.
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedAlcoholic Drinks

Know before you book

  • Public transport options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Safety Tips, San Jose is a big city like any other, it is a preventive measure to dont wear flashy jewellery.
  • 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.

Activity itinerary

Los Presentes
  • 10m
We begin at the Monumento de los Presentes, where we'll introduce the tour by discussing how the city and its culture have endured through many changes. The monument itself personifies the typical inhabitants of the city, who are at risk of disappearing due to modernization. These figures stand firm, serious, and represent a silent rebellion against the sweeping changes around them, symbolising resilience and the preservation of identity in the face of transformation.
Correos de Costa Rica
  • 10m
This is the best to understand, why is hard to find an address on here.
Mercado Borbón
  • 45m
--- We will visit the Borbón Market, also known as the Market of the Carretas, where local families have proudly sold fresh fruits and vegetables for over four generations. This bustling market is a cornerstone of the community, offering a window into the daily lives of vendors who have passed down their knowledge and traditions through the years. As we explore, you’ll be immersed in the vibrant colours, scents, and flavours 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.
Central Market (Mercado Central)
  • 1h
We will visit the Central Market, established in 1880, where you'll have the opportunity to learn about the foundations of Costa Rican agriculture and daily culture. This historic market is a vibrant hub of local life, offering a glimpse into the traditions and practices that have shaped Costa Rican cuisine for generations. As we explore the market, you'll discover the essential ingredients, meet local vendors, and gain insight into the agricultural practices that sustain the region. It's a perfect introduction to the rich cultural tapestry that makes Costa Rica unique.
Metropolitan Church (Catedral Metropolitana)
  • 10m
We will visit the historic Cathedral of San José, whose origins date back to 1788. This cathedral was part of a grand design involving the construction of five churches arranged to form a cross, a symbol of deep religious significance. The cathedral, built in Romanesque style, features beautiful architectural details and a serene atmosphere. Beneath its foundation lie catacombs, adding a layer of mystery and history to this sacred space. As we explore, you'll learn about the church's importance in Costa Rica's religious and cultural development, as well as the stories embedded within its walls.
Teatro Nacional Costa Rica
  • 10m
Is include a visit to the entrance hall of Costa Rica’s National Theatre. In the heart of San Jose, the National Theatre (Teatro Nacional) remains one of the capital city’s most popular tourist attractions.” The ornate Neo-Classical theatre is considered the finest historic building in San Jose, and is known for its exquisite interior decorated with lavish furnishings and beautiful murals.
Parque Espana
  • 5m
With this walking tour we can also enjoy of the beauty of the nature when we visit the Spain park.
Templo de la Música
  • 15m
La Laguna Plaza was initially called in 1887 because it was erected over a small lake in which the inhabitants of San José of the nineteenth century obtained the mud necessary to make the adobes with which they built their houses. There the New Year holidays were celebrated. The lake, of artificial origin and known as the Villanueva well, was known at least since 1790. In 1808, the then Spanish governor of the Province of Costa Rica, Tomás de Acosta, had urged the authorities to dry out the place. Around it, there was a ditch, called Las Arias, so some families had begun to settle, forming a area called La Laguna. Between 1853 and 1856, President Juan Rafael Mora Porras ordered the construction of the National Liquor Factory in the area, which came to consolidate the housing presence in the area
Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop
  • 45m
We will visit Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop and head up to the second floor, where you'll enjoy a home-cooked meal featuring tamales made from ancient colonial recipes, lovingly prepared by a local family. You'll also have the chance to taste unique dishes such as banana ceviche, Guanacastecan ceviche, or pejibaye ceviche—authentic pre-Hispanic foods. The experience continues with a hands-on cooking class, where you'll learn how to make artisanal chocolate empanadas, all while enjoying speciality coffee brewed in traditional vandolas.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIESLos Presentes
    • Calle 4
    • San José, San José, Costa Rica

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLELos Presentes
    • Calle 4
    • San José, San José, Costa Rica

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