San Jose Bites & Sights: City Walking Tour & National Museum

Absolutely wonderful way to learn about the city of San Jose and the culture of Costa Rica. We traveled through two local markets- Borbon- focused on fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, spices, grains and beans. And another- Central- with anything a person could want- clothing, souvenirs, coffee, chocolate, restaurants, etc. We had a terrific sampling of local fruits including many tropical fruits we don’t see in the USA. I’m not a coffee drinker- and yet I enjoyed the coffee tasting with the most mellow coffee variety called Peaberry, at a local coffee shop. We made our own empanadas with corn dough and sampled tamales as well as a local drink made with ginger and fruit juice, that was delicious. We learned about architecture- stopping to admire the many local landmarks like the national theater. Our tour ended at the national museum- where our guide was kind enough to continue to teach us about the fascinating history of Costa Rica as we walked through the diverse exhibits in this historic ex-military building. We thought this was an excellent way to spend an afternoon and to learn a lot about the history of Costa Rica.

Truly enjoyed walking the markets and tasting Costa Rican fruits and specialties. Our guide was excellent and did a marvelous job sharing Costa Rican history and answering all our questions.

I was a reluctant tag-a-long to my wife who had booked the tour. Little did I know that it turned out to be such an awesome experience that I, once again, was proven that my wife knows best. Our tour guide, Andrea, whipped up an impressive recipe of Costa Rican culture, history, tastes and anecdotes. The walk thru the Central Market was fun and she knew so many of the vendors that it was walking into a home with a welcoming committee awaiting you. The part of the tour where we got to taste the various fruits of the country was amazing. The coffee and the meal afterwards was excellent, fun (they allowed us to participate in the cooking process) but tasty and a fulfilling end to the tour. The walk lasted several hours but didn't feel like it because of how engaging the experience felt. This is a great tour for singles or couples if you want a quick, and somewhat thorough dive into what Costa Rica is all about. I highly recommend this tour!

Great tour exploring local places and leaning about the culture, food, history, and more. Fun to try out different foods and drinks and even prepare them oursleves. Jean Pierre was great local guide.

Fun tasting and hearing the history of San Jose. Our guide was very nice. We especially loved the local fruit! We did an add-on to the History Museum. It was well worth it and the guide took us through the entire museum!

This was a fantastic tour. I’m not really a city person but we were shown parts of the city that I never would have known about. It was entertaining, insightful and the food was delicious.

Fantastic tour. Some people conduct tours to make money (which is fine), and some people do it because they love to share. This experience was definitely the latter. The entire experience felt like hanging out with a local friend. Walking around and learning about local fruits and seeing the local market, then having a mini cooking lesson and trying local (delicious) snacks. It was the perfect morning of exploring. Jean-Piere was an excellent host so if your in the area and want to get a good understanding of the area, give this tour a go.

Glad we opted to go on a guided tour in San Jose as this isn’t a city that has many tourists. Our guide was very knowledgeable and the people we met at the food stalls were very friendly. We enjoyed tasting different fruits from this area as well as the hands-on experience of making plantain empanadas. The Gold Museum offered many artifacts and insight into the early periods of Costa Rica.

Amazing tour of San Jose and enjoyed some delicious food along the way. For the last stop we made empanadas and had some delicious coffee. Highly recommend. Family friendly as well, we brought our 2 year old son and there were no issues.

This was a great tour. We sampled a large variety of foods which were a meal in themselves. Our guide was really nice and knowledgeable. It was a perfect combination to go to the gold museum and see the downtown too. Costa Rica is wonderful but San Jose is a one or 2 day destination and this tour takes care of the highlights. Highly recommend.

Our guide was very friendly and informative about local culture and history. Enjoyed learning about native foods and coffee, and making our own empanadas! Museum was very interesting. Nice experience!!

The guide was kind but there was a lot of waiting. We stood around at the vegetable market at least a half hour while he cut fruit (could that be done ahead of time?). The commercial market was a long wait as well. The coffee and empanada store was good.

I really enjoyed the food tour but found that the listing was misleading. I thought we were going on a food tour then the museum but we just walked into the lobby.

I had great time and tried various foods in this tour. Originally, we were supposed to visit Gold Museum. But the museum was closed due to unexpected emergency. The tour guide contacted his boss, so the boss as the 2nd tour guide, took us to the National Museum. We had wonderful time learning in the National Museum.

This day was excellent. We met up by the green statues, toured the market, had different types of fruit, ate tamales, made an empanada as well as ate famous ice cream. The snacks, the laughs, the information made this tour so enjoyable. The theater was beautiful and the architecture of the church only added to how awesome this tour was. I highly recommend, if I could give more than 5 stars I would!

We had a wonderful time on this tour, with fabulous food and a very knowledgeable guide! We even make our own empanadas at the end. Super fun and informative!!

Our guide Ernesto was very friendly knowledgeable and made this tour a lot of fun. There was so much culture and history that was explained, and so many delicious locally grown fruits we sampled. Every shop seemed to know who Ernesto was, and it was very clear that he had made many friends in San Jose over the years. The coffee testing at Mr. sloth’s coffee was extremely educational on how coffee is growing, harvested and manufactured, and the taste was delicious. We learned how to make empenadas which was a lot of fun, provided a cultural experience, and also very delicious. After the walking food tour, the gold museum contained intricately, detailed, miniature pieces of various gold items depicting rank and caste of previous civilizations. It was very fascinating to learn about the Costa Rican culture before modern times. This tour was an enjoyable, and must do must experience tour while visiting San Jose Costa Rica. Ernesto is a top guide, highly recommend asking for him when considering this tour. It is very clear that he loves his country and is proud to be its citizen.

Had a great tour around the San José Markets tasting fruits and national dishes in a Costa rican manner. Angel was a great guide through the city. Start the tour with an empty stomach as you are offered plenty of foods and get to make your own empanada in the end.

Ernesto, our guide, was very knowledgeable and a gracious host. He was punctual, courteous, and eager to provide us with an authentic experience of Costa Rican cuisine and its abundant variety of fruits and flavors. The Mercado part of the trip brought alive the foods, flavors and vibrant culture of Costa Rica. The Gold Museum was a wonderful introduction to pre-Colombian life and the indigenous people of Costa Rica. The colonial history behind the architectural sites was also very interesting. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in history and the ethos of a country and its people! Many thanks for a memorable experience!

Our tour guide Angel was very friendly and accommodating, and patiently answered all of our questions. We were a group of two and were joined by one more person. We visited several markets, and sampled many local fruits and treats. Tour goes by the Theatre Nacional, the cathedral, and finishes at the gold museum - all recommended! We also went by the office for a small lunch of a traditional tamale and we made our own empanada. It was a perfect blend of a bit if history, culture, and experiencing the hustle and bustle of the city. Highly recommend as an introduction to Costa Rica if you some time in Sam Jose!

The tour didn’t show up and they advised he will be 2.5 hrs late. Asked for a refund and have still not received it

Gladys took us to the market in San Jose and that was awesome. She really knows her way around and introduced us to some interesting local items. She was awsome!

Our guide, Ernesto, was really good. We began at a local outdoor market that features fresh meat and produce and an assortment of CR foods prepared for consumption at the market. We then moved on to a general merchandise mart on the street. There was a wide assortment of goods including tee shirts, sun glasses and the usual as well as many hand crafted items. Then we stopped at the National Theatre, which is a stunning edifice where some of the furnishings in the cafe are original -- more than one hundred years old. Finally, it was off to the Gold Museum, which offers far more than gold. Although there are many precious artifacts displayed at the museum, there is also a history of Central America going back to when indigenous peoples occupied the land. All in all, it was a very nice experience and well worth the money.

This walking tour is one of the best I have ever been on. We ate so much and it was all fantastic! Angel is incredibly gifted as a story teller and with his depth of knowledge of history. He also Continually made sure everyone was taken care of. I learned so much about Costa Rica which will help me notice things I may have missed. We came here for a surgery.

Nice guide Ernesto, knows a lot. Very interesting and informative. The entry fee for the Gold museum is included.

The tour was interesting, informative and enjoyable. We visited two markets, Central and Borbon, where we eat and learned about local fruits. Also had fresh ceviche, which was very good. We stopped at El Roble Coffee Shop and tasted local coffee, Toured the Cathedral, Gold Museum, and National Theatre, incredible sights. The guide was great, knowledgeable and personable. Through the tour you get to learn about San Jose in an incredible way, not only the knowledge of the guide but also the sights visited and the ones you walk by.

Guide is a costa Rica local . Seems very social and knowledgeable of san jose . Safe and conformal from a single woman traveler . Meet up location directions were on point. Tour is underpriced SO GREAT VALUE for my money. Love the cup of coffee and exotic fruits even tobacco. Also i know now ,where to buy 20$ Nike's shoes in town . Tip! Bring water and good shoes. Your tour guide Pickup details Waiting time Value for money What you loved What could have been better Tips for travelers