• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Welcome to San Jose! Want to know the best places to eat? Cool events in town? Which places to go to and which to avoid? Or simply get some help to navigate the city? Book this private tour with a local and get the perfect introduction to San Jose to start your city trip on the right foot.

Destination

San Jose, Costa Rica

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Português

Included

• Private Guide
• Local Tips & Tricks
• City Orientation
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 2 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Meet at the entrance of the National Theatre of Costa Rica - San Jose to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See Parque Central de San Jose, Metropolitan Cathedral, and more landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots of the city so you can get the perfect introduction to what makes San Jose so special

4. Local Hot Spots

   Along the way, your host will point out hangout spots and hidden gems that only the locals know about and will help you get acquainted with the city in the most local way possible

5. Food Recommendations

   Receive tailored recommendations according to your taste and where to go and what to eat while visiting San Jose. Avoid tourist traps thanks to your local host!

6. City Orientation

   Learn how to navigate the city, and get the answers to your San Jose questions that will help you in the following days making your time in the city much easier

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Marilyn🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alberto)

4 February 2025

Alberto was very personal. Asked us about ourselves and told us some of his background. He was very knowledgeable about San Jose and showed a real love and passion for his city. He showed us all the highlights as noted in the tour.Fun and fabulous walking tour

Jen

(About local María José)

26 January 2025

Maria did an excellent job with our tour. We had only 2 hours one afternoon and had two kids with us. She somehow managed to tell us about history, current events, taught us some cultural tips, and showed us some beautiful spots. She balanced the needs of our children (start with ice cream, stop to run around a park, get balloon animals from a clown) and grown ups (historical, political, geographic questions). We even saw two parakeets and a bobo! Finally, Maria showed us two of her murals. She is such a talented artist!Great tour!

Debbie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alberto)

24 January 2024

Alberto did a wonderful job on our tour; he was careful to gauge our interest and accommodate them in real time. He assisted in finding our meeting spot and was on time. Getting a personalized tour from a local resident provides a unique perspective; we asked political questions, history questions, art questions ... Alberto was well informed and careful to couch his personal answers as "his opinion" when appropriate. We even contacted him later in our trip to ask for directions to a place he'd take us and he was quick to respond. Highly recommended. Special insight

Jolanda🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alberto)

2 March 2025

Alberto is een leuke gids, hij vraagt regelmatig wat wil je zien of doen, zodat de tour echt persoonlijk is. Heerlijke cevice in een zakje tortillachips en empanades gegeten. Dit zou je zelf niet vinden. Leuke weetjes over bv national museum en haunted house. Goede manier in vakantie te starten.Wandeling met persoonlijke touch

Brenda🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alberto)

11 February 2025

We had a great time with Alberto. He is kind and engaging, a pleasure to talk to. He chose well for the 10 tastings. Great variety of food and locations, and at a casual pace. We were introduced to many new tastes even though we had been in Costa Rica for two weeks! Highly recommend.Fun evening with Alberto

Susan

(About local María José)

10 February 2025

First of all, come hungry! The 10 food items advertised in this tour are no joke. This is a food tour of delicious "comida tipica" (traditional Costa Rican dishes) led by local muralist María José. Her knowledge of contemporary CR culture, arts, and politics adds depth to the tour. María Josés English is excellent AND she was happy to let us work on our Spanish by talking with us in both English and Spanish. We were lucky to be able to see several of her murals and to talk with her extensively about her obra and her methods of making art. María José is a very engaging and knowledgeable tour guide. Her flexibility, depth of knowledge, and engaging personality made It worth the cost of taking this private tour. Do it! And don't forget to come hungry!Fabulous Food Tour with Local Artist

Heike

(About local María José)

28 January 2025

Thank you for everything! We can recommend María as a tour guide. The exchange before and after the tour was great! Thank you for the possibility giving us a first impression of San José and asking for our wishes!Perfect!

Susan🇺🇸 United States

(About local María José)

19 January 2025

We’ve done lots of food walking tours in all kinds of cities. We got to try a variety of delicious local dishes while learning about the cooking traditions, the people of San Jose and seeing some of the beautiful murals which Maria has painting. Don’t eat before and you will be very full by the end. Fabulous afternoon with Maria

Richard

(About local María José)

7 January 2025

We had a nice 3-hour tour in San José, with Maria as our guide who truly brought the city to life. From the moment we met, it was clear we were in good hands. Our guide's knowledge of the culture, and hidden gems made the experience feel personalized and authentic. We got to explore local markets and taste traditional foods, everything we looked for. We even had the chance to visit the National Museum. The stories shared along the way added a unique, local flavor to the tour. I recommend this experience for anyone looking to get a local approach of San José!Just as expected

Lynn🇺🇸 United States

(About local María José)

16 November 2024

Three friends and I went on the walking food tour in San Jose with Maria as host. We couldn’t have been more pleased in the choices for all local dishes at various eateries. We had a lot of fun and I would recommend Maria wholeheartedly for this tour.Awesome San Jose Food Tour

Erin🇺🇸 United States

(About local María José)

21 May 2024

María is incredible. I cannot say enough good things about this incredible woman. She is a local artist with murals all over town. Her art is breathtaking/ stunning. She is quiet and kind. She took me to all the local restaurants she eats at and that accommodated my vegan diet. I would pay 5 times what I paid to go spend a day with this inspirational woman who is making the city beautiful one mural at a time! María is a rare gem. Local celebrity arist

Kathy🇺🇸 United States

(About local María José)

11 May 2024

We had such an amazing tour of San Jose with Maria! We met her near the National Museum then started our beautiful stroll through the city. Maria took us through the downtown area and pointed out the important buildings and gave us a brief history of the area. We stopped at a restaurant in a beautiful old home where Maria suggested some local foods and drinks. Everything was so good and it was fun trying new foods and eating like the locals. We continued our walk through beautiful parks and stopped at another restaurant for some more tastings. One thing we really enjoyed was finding out that Maria is a local artist and has done several murals in San Jose. We asked her to take us to see the murals and they were fantastic. I got a picture of her and I in front of one of the murals. We would definitely recommend this tour as a safe, fun way to see the city.Spectacular Introduction To San Jose!

Sabrina🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alberto)

15 April 2024

Alberto was amazing. Very knowledgeable and courteous. He showed us beautiful places of San José and the history. Answered all of our questions. Highly recommend. A must when visiting San José