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San Jose Walking Tour: Explore Costa Rican History and Cuisine with a Traditional Lunch
4.8
5 Ratings
San José
Embark on a captivating walking tour of San Jose, Costa Rica, and immerse yourself in the country’s rich history and vibrant cuisine. Discover hidden gems, savor authentic flavors, and create unforgettable memories.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Teatro Nacional Costa Rica - San Jose’s Early History. A Glimpse of Our Old Theaters, Anecdotes, and Urban Tales. Learn about arte anda sculptures with actors!
- Casa Jimenez de La Guardia - Discover prestigious historic houses, delve into the stories of their original owners, and admire the remarkable Art Nouveau architecture.
- School Buenaventura Corrales - Discover the history of the Metalic Building, a wonderful and charming pink structure made of metal.
- Morazan Park - Discover charming spots for taking photos and experience the awe-inspiring Music Temple, where you can even sing a song to appreciate its magical acoustics. Our guide will explain why this park bears its name and provide historical context.
- Avenida Central - We will enjoy a traditional lunch, which includes a refreshing natural drink made from local fruits. our choices could range from tasting the delicious chifrijo or experiencing the characteristic Costa Rican casado, among other delightful options.
- Los Presentes - Learn about the old costarrican context, its history and social classes.
- Central Market (Mercado Central) - Explore the central market, where locals shop for groceries, medicinal plants, handicrafts, and ingredients for special traditional dishes. You will discover numerous traditional restaurants or ‘sodas’ and learn about family businesses that have been preserving traditions and culture for over 120 years.
- Avenida Central - A stroll down Central Avenue, where you will encounter historic buildings, local commerce, artisanal craftsmanship, and sculptures.
- Plaza de la Cultura - Immerse yourself at thee locals routings visiting one of the most popular meeting points.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Snacks
- Lunch
- National Theater ticket
What's Not Included
- Tips
Additional Information
Join us for a captivating journey through the heart of San Jose. Our unique walking tour is your key to unlocking the secrets, traditions, and flavors that make this country truly special. Give yourself the opportunity to immerse in history with a guided tour by actors in the National Theater.
Our local guide will regale you with gripping anecdotes, historical context, and fascinating insights into the city’s past and present. The groups have a maximum of 9 people, so you will receive a closer treatment.
Savor the authentic flavors of Costa Rica with a traditional lunch, prepared like the locals enjoy it. Experience the unique tastes that define the country’s culinary heritage.
Explore the enchanting architecture of San Jose’s most precious buildings. Our tour will unveil the lesser-known corners of San Jose, revealing hidden gems and enchanting spots that you won’t find in guidebooks.
Don’t miss the chance to explore San Jose like a true local and create unforgettable memories.
- Familly friendly
Location
National Theatre of Costa Rica
1
We'll meet in front of The National Theater, at the main entrance, diagonal to The Great Hotel Costa Rica.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(5 Ratings)
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1 star
Y6999hjjoser
Mar 15, 2024
With a couple of days you can visit the interesting points of San José and continue the adventure through the rest of the country. - The museums and the theater are in a very close area, we did the route without a guide and it was interesting, they are small museums and in the area towards the public market there is a lot of police surveillance, on the one hand it gives you security and on the other it tells us that Crime can be high. The traffic is very heavy, but it is a place worth venturing into, in the same area there is a restaurant, La Esquina Argentina, very delicious and at a reasonable price, first-class service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leonard_l
Feb 19, 2024
Nice way to spend 3-4 hours downtown San Jose - It was just myself and three of my friends on this tour. Mariana, the tour guide, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and shared a lot of the history of Costa Rica. San Jose is no New York, London or Paris, so do not expect to be blown away by the sights. Rather than walk on your own downtown, better to have a local guide and you learn some stuff in the process. Also, some areas of downtown are not recommended for tourists, so be careful if on your own. The tour also included a stop at a bar for drinks (a cold Imperial, local beer) and a tasty lunch at a local cafe. A guided tour of the National Theatre was included as well, very interesting. As an fyi, we used Uber all over the city, no issues.
Review provided by Viator
Pauletteh296
Jan 24, 2024
Beautiful, Educational, Entertaining, an Experience - The tour guide was knowledgeable, experienced, enthusiastic, friendly, entertaining and kept us interested and informed throughout the tour. I had an excellent experience learning about Costa Rica while enjoying the food, atmosphere and great company. Thanks Jezabel, you are beautiful inside and out. I enjoyed our conversations.
Paulette & Kemar
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elvira
Dec 3, 2023
Educating, fun, casual and friendly walking tour - Mariana is a wonderful guide and a sweet person. We enjoyed our leisurely walk through the city and learned a lot about history and architecture of San Jose and Costa Rica. Her recommendations of food and coffee places were outstanding. We also had a wonderful lunch (included) at a local cafe with traditional Costa Rican menu. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_g
Jan 30, 2024
Mariana was very... - Mariana was very friendly, fun and quite knowledgable. She extended the length of the tour by over an hour to ensure we had the guided tour of the National Theatre.
This was in Spanish when I was hoping it would be in English.
The main tour was advertised in English and Mariana kept talking to one of the group in Spanish when this person definitely spoke English. This felt like I was being excluded.
There were some gaps in Mariana’s knowledge which she didn’t attempt to find the answer.
I found it distracting that she was occasionally texting during the tour.
Review provided by Viator