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San José, Costa Rica Walking tours

Our most recommended San José, Costa Rica Walking tours

San Jose: Central Market Bites and Sights Walking Tour

1. San Jose: Central Market Bites and Sights Walking Tour

Get up close and personal with Costa Rican life, through local food, history, and even the herbal remedies of folk medicine. Enjoy a hands-on lesson on exotic plants, fruits, and vegetables, and enjoy several local food samples on this guided tour. Stroll through the streets with a local as they show you the ins-and-outs of daily life. Start with a morning pick-me-up coffee in a café located in the Central Market. Then, take a stroll through the vibrant market, tasting local fresh fruits. Next, sample empanadas and continue along local roads towards the Borbon Market. Seeing diverse sites the Cathedral, National Theater, and the beautiful parks will help you get to know the country and its rich history. Finally, visit a special coffee store where you will find coffee and chocolates produced by women. Learn to prepare coffee, enjoy a tamal, and make plantain empanadas before concluding your tour.

San Jose By Night Tour: farm to table Dinner & Cocktails

2. San Jose By Night Tour: farm to table Dinner & Cocktails

Immerse yourself in the culture and history of the city. Explore San Jose by Night, complete with local markets, cultural icons, and a tasty dinner with wine! Starting with the Central Market, which, is the only way to learn about the city’s food. Stroll the market with your local guide and get to know the secrets, uses of the roots, herbs, and fruit common in local cuisines, including ingredients that will play a role in your authentic Costa Rican dinner later. The locals say that you can get anything you need at the Central Market, even love potions for attracting a boyfriend or girlfriend. After the market, we’ll make our way down Central Avenue, learning about the city’s history and anecdotes, as well as visiting one of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in San Jose, the National Theatre. From there, our appreciation for San Jose’s historical architecture continues, with a walk through Morazán Park and we will visit Mr. Sloth Coffee Shop to make el "Morenito" one delicious coffee cocktail and try "Golden Rush" cocktail. We’ll continue to charm Barrio Amon, one the oldest neighborhoods we’ll be spending the rest of the evening at a favorite Farm to table concept private home dinning that specializes in wine and gourmet food. This cozy establishment offers the best in Costa Rican cuisine a unique space that offers art, culture, history as well as fine dining.

San José: Night Food and Culture Tour with Dinner

3. San José: Night Food and Culture Tour with Dinner

Follow an expert local guide and explore San José at night on a small-group, food-themed walking tour. See important cultural sites and feast on a traditional dinner with wine or beer pairings. Get up close and personal with the nightlife in San José, starting with Morazán Park where we will learn post-colonial Costa Rican history. From there, the appreciation for San José’s historical architecture continues, with a walk by the Metallic Building, then on to Spain Park for a fantastic view of the Yellow House (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Continue to the harming Barrio Escalante, one of the oldest residential areas neighborhoods in San José. Nowadays, Barrio Escalante has reinvented itself and is now home to many up-and-coming restaurants and at night is a favorite meeting spot for locals and visitors alike. The evening will end with a contemporary traditional meal with wine or beer tastings at a hip local restaurant that is very popular with locals and offers a sampler of traditional Costa Rican pub fare.

Welcome to San Jose: Private Tour with a Local Host

4. Welcome to San Jose: Private Tour with a Local Host

Benefit from pick-up at your hotel or Airbnb accommodation in San Jose city center, and then discover the best places to eat and buy groceries in your local neighborhood. Alternatively, meet at a central landmark to start your walking tour with a local host. Get tips about the easiest ways to get around, learn where to find hidden gems and more. After booking, a local representative will contact you to ask questions and discuss your needs to select the right host based on your interests. Get a completely customized itinerary, created exclusive to you and your group. Avail of the inside knowledge of a San Jose resident who is passionate about where they live and loves to meet travelers to share what they love the most. Learn what it’s like to live in the city, chat about cultural differences, hear about local events and much more. Feel more comfortable navigating the city on your own, confident that you have all the information you need by the end of your experience.

San Jose: Central Market Tour with Food and Coffee Tasting

5. San Jose: Central Market Tour with Food and Coffee Tasting

Explore the biggest and oldest market in San Jose City on a guided tour. Founded in 1880, stroll through a site that offers a glimpse into the true Costa Rican way of living, their customs, and traditions. Browse through the intricate aisles and taste unique snacks and sweets. Join your professional guide for a trip into the heart of Costa Rican culture. Dive into the busy Central Market for an authentic experience of the local lifestyle. Hear about the history of this ancient market and learn about each of the traditional products sold. Observe and shop for typical handcrafts as you walk around. Sample exotic fruits and dishes that may include empanadas, cheese tortillas, 'chicharrones' (pork rind), and tamales. Sip on artisanal coffee and taste the emblematic 'sorbetera' ice cream.

San Jose: City Highlights Walking Tour with Local Guide

6. San Jose: City Highlights Walking Tour with Local Guide

San Jose offers you the chance to discover a secluded location in the Central Valley of Costa Rica with its skyline dominated by the majestic Talamanca Mountains, hugging the city to the south, and a volcano ridge to the north. Why Costa Rica is a trendy destination for ecotourism and adventure travel? Is that true that San Jose have not street addresses? Which is the Costa Rican influence at The National Theater? What means Pura Vida? Gaze at San Jose’s local architecture which reflects strong Spanish colonial influence manifested in places like Catedral Metropolitana in Calle Central, and the neoclassical National Theater presiding over downtown’s Plaza de la Cultura. Get ready to experience Costa Rica from a different perspective. A local charismatic guide will reveal interesting facts about San Jose. Pura Vida!

San Jose: Discover Sights and Delights with a Local

7. San Jose: Discover Sights and Delights with a Local

Join your guide for a morning pick-me-up coffee at a café in Borbon Market, where you'll get to know your guide. From here, stroll through the vibrant market and taste the local fruits. Learn the agricultural history of the area as you stop at stands such as a coffee stall. Hear all about the Costa Rican chorreado method of brewing coffee. Go to a stand that sells folk medicine and learn about cures for everything from a hangover to a broken heart.  Next, visit Central Market and immerse yourself in the life of the 120-year-old building. Sample local delicacies from Costa Rica at a market full to the brim with food and drinks. Learn more about the herbs used in local medicines or sip on your second coffee of the day. With a local guide by your side, you’ll unearth all the secrets behind this San Jose treasure. By the time you end your tour at Central Market, you will be full of local knowledge. Perhaps you will have even picked up some of the local lingo along the way!

San José: Guided Craft Beer and Food Samples Experience

8. San José: Guided Craft Beer and Food Samples Experience

Tap into Costa Rica's emerging craft beer movement with this walking tour in San Jose. Visit 4 bars and pubs in Barrio Otoya, Barrio Escalante, and Barrio La California for beer tastings. Hear about the beer revolution in Costa Rica while you learn how to pair the drink with food. Start your tour from the entrance of the Aurola Holiday Inn hotel and get to see The Music Temple at Parque Morazan, one of the biggest landmarks of San Jose. Meet your certified tour guide, a beer connoisseur, and, most importantly, a San Jose local. Head to Barrio Escalante where the majority of San Jose’s brewpubs are clustered. See the city buildings illuminated at night along the way. With 4 stops on the itinerary, get ready to sample a new style of craft beer at each pub, paired with Costa Rican appetizers to enhance the beer experience. Learn about the history of beer and its production, its 4 basic ingredients, and the difference between industrialized and craft beer from your local guide. Finish your pub crawl at Craic Irish Pub in La California, a great location to continue your evening.

San José: 4-Hour Guided Walking Tour

9. San José: 4-Hour Guided Walking Tour

This guided walking excursion will take you through San José’s main attractions, with an expert local guide on hand to teach you about the city’s history and traditions. Stop by important buildings and areas, and gain a deeper understanding of Costa Rican culture. You’ll be picked up from your hotel to start the tour at the National Theater of Costa Rica. Then, visit the iconic Iglesia de la Merced, followed by the Museum of Costa Rican Art. Next, wander through the historical Plaza de la Cultura and Plaza de la Democracia. Your next stop will be the Central Market, with its bustling atmosphere and delicious local food options. Finally, you’ll end the tour with a trip to the Municipal Craft Market, an outdoor market where you can browse through souvenirs, artisan crafts, and food stalls.  After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

San José: Guided Walking Tour With Lunch and Hotel Pickup

10. San José: Guided Walking Tour With Lunch and Hotel Pickup

Get to know San José on a guided walking tour. Get picked up from your hotel in Alajuela, then head to the most popular attractions to learn about the city’s history and culture. Visit Central Park, the National Theater, and more. Round off your day with lunch at a local restaurant. Begin your tour by getting picked up directly from your hotel by your bilingual guide. Arrive at San José's outdoor Central Market, where the walking tour will start. Take in the atmosphere, buy local goods and food (not included in the price), and mingle with the locals. Next, wander over to Central Park. Witness the famous National Monument, a statue of five women that symbolizes the five Central American nations that resisted having their countries recolonized. Continue walking and pass by the National Museum as well as the Supreme Court. Head over to the National Theater and see San José's most impressive structures. Follow your guide around the lavish lobby in European design, which was constructed with money from taxes on coffee exports. Continue on to the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, and marvel at the building from the outside. At the end of the tour, stop off at a nearby eatery for lunch and chow down on some traditional Costa Rican dishes. Use the opportunity to ask your guide any questions you may have about the city’s history and culture. Finally, hop back on the bus and get dropped back at your hotel.

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What people are saying about San José, Costa Rica

Overall rating

4.0 / 5

based on 38 reviews

Enjoyable walking and tasting tour of Central Market, the fresh market, plaza de La cultura and finishing at Mr Sloth coffee shop for more food and coffee tasting. Tried wide variety of prepared foods and tropical fruits. Danny was an excellent guide who shared a lot about Costa Rican culture, history and of course, local foods. It is crowded with tight alleys in the market.

Don’t eat before this trip! Lots of lovely food to try and a nice chilled way to wonder around SJ as a solo traveller. Met lots of lovely people. Would recommend!

I had an amazing time. Daniel took us to places we would never habe found on our own and he gave us a lot of information on the city on the way.

Make sure you go on empty stomach because you will eat A LOT! Angel is amazing and has a lot of knowledge and funny.

Excellent tour, very informative, highly recommend.