Guided tour

San Jose: Discover Sights and Delights with a Local

Guided tour

San Jose: Discover Sights and Delights with a Local

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From US$ 38 US$ 34.20 per person

Eco-certified

Experience Costa Rica through its local food and herbal remedies on a food tour of San Jose. Visit markets to get inside knowledge about exotic fruits and vegetables. Stop for a cup of coffee and stroll the streets with a local to learn about daily life.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 3 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Discover the secrets of San Jose's Borbon Market and Central Market
  • Become an expert on more than 30 local exotic fruits and vegetables
  • Savor seasonal foods and organic coffee
  • See a side to San Jose known only to locals on a shared group or private tour
  • Join a carbon neutral tour, organized and led by an eco-certified tour operator
Full description
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!
Includes
  • Local, English-speaking guide
  • Food samples
  • Food and drink, other than specified above
  • Gratuities

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet your guide at the front entrance of the National Theatre.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Camera
  • Cash
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

Know before you go

  • This tour is organized and led by the world's largest travel B-Corp certified company. B-Corp Certification measures a company’s social and environmental impacts and responsible tourism practices
  • Dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Please note these on the check-out page at the time of booking
  • Children must be 6 to 11 years old inclusive. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour
  • Tours are conducted in English
  • Maximum group size is 12 people
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.6 /5

based on 29 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    5/5
  • Value for money
    4.5/5
  • Service
    5/5
  • Organization
    4.3/5

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I greatly enjoyed this tour. The guide was very knowledgeable about the local history, where to try food and answered all my questions. I got to try several new foods I had never eaten before. There is a good amount of walking around the city so bring comfortable shoes.

March 26, 2023

This tour was absolutely incredible. My guide Vinny was so knowledgeable about everything from fruits to the smallest details of Costa Rican history. It felt like stepping into the authentic world of a San José local. I recommend this tour for anyone wanting to know the real San José!

March 26, 2023

The day flew by so fast. My guide, Angel, was so passionate about his live of Costa Rica, and of San Jose that it was contagious. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat. I recommend Urban Tours very highly. Go early or plan to stay later to do some shopping in Central Market.

March 26, 2023

Product ID: 42299