Colombia · FOOD
Good food experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Join a small group of up to 10 with guides such as Natalia, Santiago, Martin, or Melina. Travel by metro, cable car, and bus to Comuna 13 for coffee, street art, a dance show, an arepa, local stories, and a drink with city views.
“excellent! the best part was the rapper at comuna 13 very talented and entertaining I laugh a lot”
Walk Comuna 13 with local guides such as Mateo, Jorge, Alex, and Esteban, hearing firsthand stories of its difficult past and recent change. Taste empanadas and mango with lime, visit galleries and viewpoints, ride the famous escalators, and catch a rap or breakdance show during this three-hour tour.
“It was amazing to visit the Comuna 13 with a guide who can explain you the history behind the evolution of this commune so full of life and beauty. Jorge was the best guide we’ve had in 1 month visiting Colombia ! Full of energy, knowledge and pedagogical. Gracias Jorge mejor guia !”
Meet beneath the orange umbrella at Plaza Cervantes for a 150-minute walking tour through Cartagena and Getsemaní. Guides such as Alvaro, Robert, Liz, Mercedes, and Nando lead you to nine generous tastings, from arepas and ceviche to sweets, coffee, beer, and local drinks, with history along the way.
“This tour is a wonderful way to learn about the history of Cartagena while enjoying authentic Colombian food. I had an awesome time. Our tour guide Alvaro R. was very welcoming and kind. He explained everything perfectly and was open to questions. I highly recommend this tour. 10/10 experience made even better by our tour guide.”
Meet your English-speaking guide at La Perseverancia Market for four hours of Colombian food, fruit, coffee, history, and tejo. You’ll try ajiaco, lechona, tamales, buñuelos, chicha, coca tea, and more in a group capped at eight. Guides such as Andrés, Juliana, Jenny, and Juli are known for lively local insight.
“We loved our guide, Juliana. The food and drinks were great and we also enjoyed learning a little about the history of the area. We were very appreciative of other options we were given when we told her we didn’t drink coffee or beer. I highly recommend it!”
Join a bilingual guide such as Santiago or Brayan for a three-hour walk through El Poblado. Try five Colombian street foods, hear local stories, view street art, and visit a rooftop with wide city views. Come hungry, wear sturdy shoes, and budget extra for drinks.
“The guide, Santiago, was enthusiastic to share his expertise and made the tour enjoyable and fun. He was also flexible and understanding when we ran late, and went ahead to get food from a place before they closed. He is great and an asset to the organisation!”
Join Aeroturex for a four-hour Medellín night out with a live DJ, guide, local beer, empanadas, arepas, and a final restaurant tasting. Mateo and Juan have hosted past departures. Expect dancing, photo stops, Provenza, the Golden Mile, and the illuminated 4 Sur Bridge.
“Amazing time on the party bus. We learned popular dances and the guide was very nice.”
Ride an electric bike from Belén through Laureles, Conquistadores, and the Medellín River Parks while tasting arepas, buñuelos, pandebono, fruit, and other local favorites. English and Spanish guides such as David, Daniela, Dany, and Toto lead groups of up to eight.
“that was the best excursion I did in Medellin !!! had everything and Dany was a fantastic guide… thanks for These moments”
Join Juan or Andrés for a two-hour walk through central Cali, tasting pandebono, empanadas, marranitas, and two scoops of inventive ice cream. Along the way, explore murals, old streets, a community-run house, and La Linterna’s historic printing machines.
“More than a Food tour a Cali experience you get food culture small salsa lesson excellent Money spent”
Join Maria, Camila, or Camilla for a 2.5-hour food walk through Parque El Poblado, Calle 10, Calle Cartagena, and Manila. Expect generous tastings of Colombian staples, exotic fruit, coffee, drinks, desserts, and regional dishes, with cultural context at every stop. The group is capped at 10 people.
“This was a great experience and introduction into the food and drinks of Medellin and Colombia. Camila was such a friendly and knowledgeable guide and provided lots of great recommendations for other restaurants and activities to try later in our stay. Highly recommend this tour, you will not go hungry!”
Join Juan or another local guide for a two-hour walking food tour through central Cali. Try pandebono, empanadas, champús, lulo drinks, shaved ice, tropical fruit, and more, with stops at murals, salsa sites, artisan shops, and family-run food businesses.
“I recently had the pleasure of taking one of the best local tours I’ve ever experienced. Not only did I learn about the diverse local cuisines, but I also gained a deep appreciation for Cali’s rich and vibrant history. My guide was incredibly personable and friendly, making the experience even more enjoyable. This tour is absolutely worth it!”
Spend three hours at Bogotá’s Paloquemao Market with a guide such as María, Juana, Nico, or Sara. Taste unusual Colombian fruits, cheese breads, empanadas, coffee, juices, and local snacks while learning how to choose and prepare produce. The tour is private, starts and ends at the market, and includes breakfast, water, and a souvenir.
“Nico did an amazing job educating us on the foods at the market. Showed us the flower market. The fruit tasting was a 5+ star. He is so friendly and nice.”
Spend about three hours tasting Colombian specialties around La Candelaria and Plaza del Chorro del Quevedo with a private guide. Expect chocolate santafereño, coffee, arepas, almojábanas, obleas, fruits, and other local bites, plus hotel pickup and drop-off.
“It’s in La Candelaria, the historic part of Bogota and a must visit for food, people watching, shopping, and history. Luis was the tour guide and his English was outstanding, especially having only learned it circa 2018. He communicated with me via WhatsApp before the tour to discuss conditions and to arrange driver pickup from my hotel in Tequendama. As any good food guide would do, he asked about food and drink preferences and tailored the tour to that. He made sure to try to get in all the Colombia traditional drinks and food, and his knowledge of food and general history were really good (he even discussed the science…”
Spend three hours walking El Poblado with an English and Spanish speaking guide, tasting four Colombian specialties, trying one typical drink, and visiting Envy Rooftop and Masaya Medellin. Guides including Lorena, Valeria, Felipe, and Frank are known for friendly local tips, but come hungry and expect stairs.
“Great tour! I have had the pleasure of trying much of the local cuisine but the tour guide, Frank, still found delicious foods I have never even heard of! Had a great time. Frank was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable about the foods and neighborhood. I recommend this tour!”
Meet a history, journalism, or anthropology guide in Santa Marta’s old center for a two-hour walk through the Tairona Gold Museum, cathedral, plazas, churches, cemetery, and local food stops. With Sergio among the guides, expect history, architecture, fruit drinks, ceviche, lulo, and empanadas.
“The tour is very expensive and is not value for money. The guide hurried through the experience. It felt very rushed.”
Join a local English- or Spanish-speaking guide, such as Alberto, Alvaro, or Javier, for a four-hour walk through Santa Marta’s historic center. Visit seven food stops, sample Caribbean dishes and fruit, make arepa de huevo, drink fresh juice and coffee, and learn the city’s story along the way.
“Knowing about the history of Santa Marta and most especially about Simon Bovier. Javier is a great guide/ narrator and patient. Thank you”
Pick a coastline, a mural or a coffee farm.
