4 h

Small Group

By night

Instant confirmation

About this activity

Meet your guide at San Jose’s Central Market, a lively labyrinth of more than 200 stalls that took root in 1882. Watch as people stream in and out of the covered market to purchase groceries and meet friends at restaurants, cafes and bars.

You’ll find wares of every kind here, including produce, herbal remedies, handicrafts and more. Your guide will take you to certain stalls to point out the herbs, roots and fruit commonly used in local cuisine, some of which may even be part of your dinner later on.

After the market, amble down Central Avenue, learning about city history along the way. In Culture Plaza, gaze at the Neoclassical façade of the National Theater. Opened in 1897, this ornate playhouse is always busy hosting performances from the National Symphony Orchestra and National Theater Company, among other acts.

For more impressive Costa Rican architecture, stroll through Morazán Park — built over swampland in the 19th century — for a look at the Metallic Building that houses two prominent schools. At Spain Park, gaze at the Yellow House, home of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and hear about its connection to Andrew Carnegie.

We’ll continue to charming Barrio Amon, one the oldest neighborhoods in San Jose. Designed by Amon Fasileau, a Frenchman who settled in the area, it has become one of the most scenic parts of the city, boasting a rich, architectural history.

We’ll be spending the rest of the evening at a favorite local restaurant that specializes in wine and gourmet food. This cosy establishment offers the best in Costa Rican cuisine, a unique space that offers art, culture and history as well as fine dining. The view from the terrace is like looking out onto an open-air museum, where 1930s architecture fuses with modern builds which infuses this delightful neighbourhood its eclectic charm.

Between your tasty three course meal, and wines that go down a treat, you’ll be ending the evening in fine fashion, feeling every bit the San Jose local.

Your local guide will be happy to provide suggestions on where to head to next, but if not, they can assist you with getting a taxi back to your accommodation

Read more Show less

Included

Local English speaking guide
Dinner
3 glasses of wine

Not included

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Minimum age is 6 years
Minimum age to drink wine is 18 years
Small-group tour limited to 12 people
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate

Features

Tourism

95%

Cultural

70%

Nightlife

30%

Original

25%

Reviews

4.3

44

R

Ratna Raj B

1 | 2019-07-03

I was glad to be the lone customer for the night. However. The tour was all about taking you to the central market (telling about all herbs). Coming out of the market, you go visit some same area theatre, cathedral, post office and parks... all to be viewed in dark. The dinner was worst. Even the guide was not eating except going for two glasses of wine (out of three included in the plan).

M

Martin W

5 | 2018-08-02

This tour is outstanding. I was on my way to a coastal town and had one night in San Jose. This was the perfect way to spend my time. Our guide, Angel has an intimate knowledge of the material and he unveils the history and culture of Coast Rica in an interesting and humorous way. He is a true joy to be around, and the kind of guy you'd like to have a drink with. In fact, I did! The dinner was muy excelente. Very high end and very tasty. This restaurant has a hand-crafted new menu very night. The decor and the wait staff were first class and Angel did a great job orchestrating our dining experience. A great way to cap off a fantastic, enriching and worthwhile experience. This is a must for all first timers in San Jose. Puravida!

S

Shayda M

5 | 2018-07-27

You must call and get the phone number of the tour guide. We spent about 30 minutes trying to meet up with our guide because the meeting location was non specific. Which is stressful for people new to the area. Once the tour started everything was great. The indoor market is truly an experience and the food was delicious. My family had a great night and took lots of great pictures.

C

Cynthia P

4 | 2018-07-26

This tour started late be 30-40 minutes due to misinformation about meeting spot. I'd like to see the spot picked to meet more easy to determine since most tourist wouldn't know the area.

T

Tracy R

5 | 2018-03-14

Our guide was very knowledgeable, it was a nice way to see San Jose as we only had one night in town. The dinner at the end was amazing. Very unique and delicious!!

E

Estellaleigh F

4 | 2018-02-17

Loved the guide. HIs passion for his heritage was inspiring. He went out of his way to make certain everyone on the tour had their questions answered. The restaurant looked great, food was the best I had in Costa Rica, but that's not high praise. One sour note, the restaurant projects unnecessary and distracting vintage cartoons on one wall and one shown was the tiger chasing little Black Sambo character. Really, in 2018, one would think there might be a bit more cultural sensitivity shown. The write up for the restaurant promised up to 3 glasses of wine, but only two were offered and plates were cleared with the expectation that we would leave without the offer for the third. Half of the group left including our guide, the rest of us inquired about the third glass and staff had to have a discussion among themselves before deciding to pour it. We weren't making an unreasonable request for them to honor their advertising and I didn't appreciate the obvious cold treatment we received at the end.

n

nanciem2

4 | 2018-01-12

great guide -very knowledgeable and familiar with the market area. Things had changed from the original booking, and although everything was awesome, including the new dining venue, it was disappointing not to be dining in Escazu

Collections This experience is part of these collections

Collections

Show & Nightlife 10 Activities

San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Small Group Tour

San José

Settings