REVIEWS · COLOMBIA
Good food tours in Colombia 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 for a four-hour journey from Poblado through Medellín’s metro, cable car, bus, and Comuna 13. Guides such as Natalia, Santiago, Martin, and Melina explain the neighborhood’s past, murals, coffee, street food, dance, and daily life.
“Santiago was the best! This tour was well worth it and a great experience”
Spend three hours in Comuna 13 with guides such as Mateo, Jorge, Alex, Kevin, or Esteban. Hear first-hand stories of the neighborhood’s painful past and social change, ride the famous escalators, sample empanadas and mango popsicles, and visit viewpoints, galleries, alleys, and local performances.
“Carlos was very knowledgable and enthusiastic! Comuna 13 has a fascinating history and is a must do in Medellin”
Meet beneath the orange umbrellas at Plaza Cervantes for a 150-minute walking tour through Cartagena and Getsemaní. Your English- or Spanish-speaking guide leads you to nine tastings, from ceviche, arepas, patacones, sweets, coffee, and local drinks to foods you might miss alone. Guides include Álvaro, Robert, Liz, Mercedes, and Nando.
“Loved this tour as we were taken through a variety of local foods and drinks. Do NOT eat before this experience as the portions are a good size. A couple of the things I didn’t like however I was grateful for the opportunity to try them. Go with an open mind to try everything”
Meet your English-speaking guide at La Perseverancia Market for four hours of Bogotá food, local stories, coffee, and tejo. Expect a small group of up to eight, with stops for ajiaco, lechona, tamales, unusual fruit, chicha, buñuelos, chocolate, coca tea, and more. Guides include Andrés, Juliana, Jenny, and others.
“Jenny was very engaging and had a wonderful energy about her. I particularly enjoyed the fruit sampling and tasting…..my first time tasting some of the options she picked and they were so yummy!”
Meet near Poblado Park for a three-hour food walk led in English or Spanish by a local guide such as Santiago, Brayan, or Sebastian. Try five Colombian snacks, hear the stories behind them, see street art and modern Poblado, then finish at a rooftop with broad city views. Drinks cost extra.
“Santiago was more than a great food tour guide; he was very funny and informative and really brought the group together. We tasted 5 samples of street food, ranging from sweet to savory. It’s a lot of heavy food but very tasty. We went to a beautiful rooftop bar where we all ordered Santiago’s favorite drink ( ask him!). We also learned about the neighborhood, got tips on how to be safe and were sent a list of food and drink spot recommendations. A fun and interesting tour!”
Join Aeroturex for a four-hour Medellín night out with a DJ, guide, local beer, three street-food tastings, and photo stops at Provenza, the Golden Mile, and 4 Sur Bridge. Mateo and Juan have hosted past outings, though your guide may differ. The evening ends at an exclusive restaurant.
“This was amazing and the food is SO GOOD! I had a blast with my friends.”
Ride a well-kept electric bike from Turibike through Belén, Laureles, Conquistadores, and the Medellín River Parks. Along the way, guides such as David, Daniela, Dany, Diana, and Toto introduce you to local snacks, traditional recipes, daily life, and Medellín’s remarkable changes.
“Toto was the best tour guide! He was so energetic, friendly and informative. He taught us so much about Colombian history, culture, and society. We ate so much on the tour, and I loved hearing about the origins and history of the food as well. I didn’t realize how amazing the bike lane infrastructure is in Medellin, which made me feel super safe and secure while riding around the city. This tour exceeded my expectations in every way! We got lucky with the weather too, and it only lightly sprinkled. It is our first day in Colombia and this definitely made it memorable!”
Join Juan or Andrés for a two-hour walk through central Cali, pairing local history and street art with pandebono, empanadas, marranitas, and two scoops of creative ice cream. Expect a generous tasting route, bottled water, a small group of up to 30, and plenty of walking.
“Juan did an amazing job giving us both a history and food tour! We were a large group (10 of us) and he patiently waited 10-15 mins for us (the traffic is no joke). Our group thoroughly enjoyed the tour and we all learned more about Colombias history.”
Join Juan, Andrés, or another local guide for a two-hour walking food tour through central Cali. Try pandebono, empanadas, champús, chontaduro, cholado, fruit, and unusual ice cream while learning about salsa, murals, Colombian history, and daily life.
“Great guide spoke fantastic english, did everything to make sure we were OK and enjoying ourselves. From the mintue we booked the communication was excellent. would hight recommend this tour”
Spend three hours at Bogotá’s Paloquemao Market with guides such as María, Sara, Juana, or Nico. Taste unusual Colombian fruits, fresh juices, cheese breads, empanadas, coffee, and local snacks while learning how to choose and prepare produce. The small private format suits food lovers, photographers, and curious first-time visitors.
“A must do in Bogota! Fun and informative and you will not leave hungry! We tried 20 different fruits (plus some other things like the most delicious empanadas), and learned a lot about food and biodiversity in Colombia.”
Spend about three hours exploring La Candelaria by foot and by taste. Your private guide may be Sara, Luis, Juana, Sergio, or another local host, introducing you to chocolate santafereño, coffee, arepas, almojábanas, obleas, fruits, and other Colombian specialties. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.
“We had a wonderful time touring Candelaria and learning about traditional Colombian foods. Fruits, coffee, and many other local specialities tempted our taste buds. This was also a great way to tour the old town with a local. Highly recommended.”
Spend three hours walking El Poblado with a bilingual guide such as Lorena, Valeria, or Felipe. Taste arepas, empanadas, a local drink, and other filling snacks, then visit rooftop venues for music and Medellin views. Bring ID, cash, and a phone linked to WhatsApp.
“This was a very well organized tour. Yesid was extremely feelingly and very informative. I highly recommend this tour for my fellow foodies”
Walk Santa Marta’s old center with a history, journalism, or anthropology guide, visiting the Tairona Gold Museum, cathedral, parks, churches, and cemetery. Along the way, taste a local drink, exotic fruit, ceviche, lulo, and empanadas, though food stops can vary.
“We enjoyed the gold museum and learning about the Tayrona people as well as the history of Santa Marta, the architecture of the buildings and Gabriel Garcia Marquez murals. Great to taste traditional food and drinks of the area as well. My only critique was that it was supposed to be 2 hours and was closer to four, but with that being said we loved Sergio, in addition learning about the history we asked a lot of basic questions about the area and he gave us ideas of things we should do and see while here. He was very personable and easy to talk to. Very evident that he enjoys…”
Travel from Cartagena to Totumo Volcano for a buoyant mineral mud bath, rinse in a nearby lake, enjoy a Colombian snack, then visit La Boquilla for local music and food. Hotel pickup, transport, and entry fees are included. Sarah and Fernando may lead the outing.
“I received a message stating that the tour was canceled yet I still got charged. Im now going to have to dispute it to get my money back.”
Join Camila or Camilo at Bogotá’s National Museum for a 2.5-hour walking food tour through Carrera 7, La Macarena, and La Perseverancia. You’ll sample pandebono, buñuelo, empanadas, coffee with orange, tropical fruit, and oblea, with all food included.
“Our tour guide, Camila, was awesome - she is knowledgeable, friendly, and made the afternoon fun and enjoyable. The food was delicious and the neighbourhood interesting. Make this one of your first activities after you arrive in Bogota - highly recommended!”
Pick a stall, a market hall or a table.
