Costa Rican Culture: Market to Table Experience

Immerse yourself in the culture and history of San Jose on this historic tour. Visit the Central Market, learn about local cuisine, explore architectural gems, and enjoy an authentic Costa Rican dinner in a charming private home dining experience.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Banco Central de Costa Rica - The tour begins at the bank’s entrance, adjacent to the Monumento de los Presentes, which features small, green figures. The discussion will focus on how this monument represents the community’s resilience and survival through tough times, connecting the past with the present. It serves as a powerful reminder of the…
What's Included
  • Walking tour of Historical Center and neighborhoods like Otoya and Amon
  • Bilingual experience
  • Special 4-course dinner at private home with Farm to Table concept
  • Cocktail making classes and tasting
  • Sangria and beer included
  • Visit Central Market, Metallic Building, Spain Park for Yellow House view
  • Pre-Hispanic, gluten-free food and ingredients
What's Not Included
  • Transportation: if you need to quote transportation service, write to us.
  • Also not included are additional food and drink beyond what is specified.
Additional Information

Explore the rich culture and history of the city, beginning at the Central Market, the perfect place to discover the city’s culinary delights. Accompanied by a local guide, wander through the market and learn about the roots, herbs, and fruits that are staples in local dishes, including those that will feature in your authentic Costa Rican dinner….

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
4.8
(453 Ratings)
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1 star
J
May 25, 2025
Very Engaging! - My family and I really enjoyed ourselves on this tour. We were a family of 5 cousins. Ranging in ages 25-48. Angel was our tour guide, he was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, pleasant, and fun. The tour was educational, interesting, ans engaging all at the same time. I loved everything about the entire tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brittany_m
May 20, 2025
Intro to San Jose - Great introduction to my Costa Rica trip. We explored the city market as well as some cool landmarks/buildings. Ended with delicious food and drinks. Guide was very welcoming, friendly and informative.
Review provided by Viator
Kimdb7806xe
May 14, 2025
Best bargain tour - This was perhaps one of the best tours ever! Truly, a real bargain! Tour guide Daniel - very professional, kept us on time, shared knowledge and helpful insights about city on the walking tour portion and then led us through the multi-course meal with cultural explanations in addition to involving all participants in the making of cocktails and empanada appetizers. Afterwards, the main meal, more cocktails, and dessert! Greatly appreciated, too, the accommodating for a vegetarian meal that was so delicious! A family-run tour, it was obvious much pride was taken in providing good quality food and cultural information. Highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria_f
May 9, 2025
A must-try in Costa Rica Experience - If there were more stars allowed I would give it more than 5. This tour was the most wholesome experience to learn, appreciate and experience the history, culture and food of Costa Rica. Our tour guide Angel was absolutely on spot from fluency in English, his knowledge of the city and history of Costa Rica. He’s a seasoned tour guide with years of experience and his passion for his job shows. We got to walk around the different part of San Jose, the central market, local produce, the “soda” which was numerous around the area, the park, the iconic sculptures around town, the theater then got to make empanadas and mix cocktails using local ingredients. My team and I agree that of all the experience we had, this was the most wholesome all around. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Violet
May 2, 2025
Informative - Loved being able to learn the history of San Jose and see some historical landmarks. The cooking and cocktail class was very informative on the local cuisine and culture!! I definitely recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gaile538
Apr 27, 2025
Great evening tour in San Jose - This was a wonderful experience. The walking tour was just right for us seniors while seeing a nice overview of downtown. The cocktail class was fun, the dinner was delicious and so much more fun sharing it with other travelers. Daniel was a great guide and host.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lori_f
Apr 27, 2025
Great overview of San Jose - Our tour in April 26th was fantastic. We love walking tours combined with food. This tour exceeded or expectations from past food tours. So glad we did this tour the first day in San Jose as it gave us ideas for what to visit the next day. The cocktail making at the end was great and the food was very good. Highly recommend. Our guide was personable, knowledgeable, and entertaining.
Review provided by Viator
Michele_m
Apr 27, 2025
10/10 Perfect Tour - Our first day in San Jose could not have been better starting off with this tour to immerse ourselves in the history, culture and food of Costa Rica. Walking through the city, stopping at local restaurants to have a taste of authentic Costa Rican food was amazing. The history of the parks, buildings, monuments and city was so informative. The cocktail class and tasting along with the family style 4 course meal will leave you with a full tummy! Everything was delicious! Our guide and group were super fun so it made the experience even better. I would highly recommend this tour !
Review provided by Viator
B8538pggabrielec
Apr 26, 2025
Bellissima - Spectacular view, friendly staff. From breakfast to dinner all very good. Cozy rooms. All very nice.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
263marisan
Apr 29, 2025
Cool experience, "La Chola" deserves better - Overall, I really enjoyed this tour. The walking portion was interesting, and the guide shared some great historical context. The cocktail class was a fun touch, and dinner was tasty--though if felt a little rushed at times. There was a small part of the tour that didn’t sit right with me. When we stopped at the statue known as La Chola, the guide said it symbolized feminism and the big importance of women in CR.. then encouraged us to grope the statue for luck, with different parts representing love, money, and sex. While perhaps this is a local superstition that’s popped up over time, it didn’t feel appropriate. As the statue represents the strength and dignity of Costa Rican women, encouraging people to grope it felt wrong. There are even local campaigns (La Chola Habla) pushing back on this behavior because of how it contributes to the objectification of women. Please consider reframing that part of the tour to be respectful of women.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $59
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).