Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day
Description
Immerse yourself in the real experience of Santa Marta city with our food tour. Visit the public market and go beyond touristic places to give yourself the chance to taste new things. Let our guide walk you through the best food stands and try the Caribbean cuisine and its people: bollo, patacon, carimañola, ceviche, coconut rice. Although those names are hardly relatable to something common or widely known, we are sure that it will be a gastronomic experience to remember. • A walk along Santa Marta’s historical center • A full immersion inside the Public Market of the city • Samples and samples of typical foods and drinks of the region (fruits, desserts, finger foods, refreshments) • A fun and interactive experience with locals and their stories • Memories full of senses about colors, smells and flavors of this Caribbean city
Tour Options
Itinerary
Learn about Colombian Caribbean identity and culture through its cuisine with this food journey.
Tasting a city or country’s cuisine is knowing its true spirit. Come and discover Santa Marta’s through its food.
This is the most valuable souvenir of the very best side of Santa Marta: tons of food offered to you by joyful and friendly locals.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick-up our clients anywhere within Santa Marta city - hotels, hostels, Airbnb, vacation rentals, points of interest, and also at Simón Bolivar International Airport.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- If you have a layover in Santa Marta please select the airport or cruise ship terminal as a pick-up point for the layover tour.
- This tour takes place in a local open-air market, commonly visited by residents. It’s a vibrant space with street food, informal vendors, and a lively atmosphere, so expect lots of movement, constant noise, and the everyday hustle and bustle of local life
Reviews(19)
Good walking historical food tour. Fantastic fruits, juices, pastries seafood.; more delicious things than I could finish. I also loved the beverages, history, for example the gold museum as well as learning about the current situation in town. Andreas was a wonderful guide. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much for this review. We love hearing that you enjoyed both the food and the cultural side of the experience. It’s great to know Andreas helped bring the history and local stories to life while you discovered so many new flavors along the way. Thanks for the recommendation!
I had an amazing food walking tour in Santa Marta—a perfect mix of flavor, culture, and history. We started with delicious coffee from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, sweetened with panela and a hint of cinnamon—absolutely comforting and unique. Along the way, we tasted a variety of fresh tropical fruits and a refreshing cold juice blend of passion fruit and mango that was bursting with flavor. One of the highlights was a street vendor serving seafood soup cooked over a wood fire and a rich shrimp rice—authentic and unforgettable. We also enjoyed creamy, flavorful ice cream made from local fruits, and ended with a true Colombian classic: arepa de huevo—crispy, deep-fried, and filled with egg—paired with mote de guineo (cayeye), a delicious green banana mash topped with cheese and chicharrón. Between stops, we explored the historic downtown, seeing some of the oldest buildings in Colombia and South America, which makes sense as Santa Marta is celebrating 501 years of history. Overall, a fantastic, educational tour—you’ll leave full, happy, and with a deeper appreciation for the region’s food and culture. Highly recommended!
Thank you for such a detailed and thoughtful review! We're thrilled you enjoyed the rich mix of flavors, local traditions, and history in Santa Marta. It’s great to hear each stop added something special to your experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours soon!
We did a street food tour in Santa Marta with Andrés Franco, and all we can say is: it was an absolutely amazing day. Andrés is a true local who shares his city with great passion. He took us to places we would have never discovered as regular tourists. We got to try a wide variety of local foods – everything was authentic and diverse. What really stood out was his enthusiasm and friendliness. He speaks excellent English and didn’t just introduce us to the food, but also to the culture and everyday life in Santa Marta. You can really tell that he loves what he does. Thanks to him, we had an unforgettable experience and gained insights that go far beyond a typical visit to the city. We highly recommend Andrés 100% – an outstanding guide!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re very happy to hear that you had such an amazing experience exploring Santa Marta through its local food. It’s great to know Andrés made the day so special with his passion, knowledge, and friendly approach. We’re glad you enjoyed discovering authentic places and learning more about the local culture. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Gran Colombia Tours—we hope to welcome you again soon!
We did a street food tour in Santa Marta with Andrés, and all we can say is: it was an absolutely amazing day. Andrés is a true local who shares his city with great passion. He took us to places we would have never discovered as regular tourists. We got to try a wide variety of local foods – everything was authentic and diverse. What really stood out was his enthusiasm and friendliness. He speaks excellent English and didn’t just introduce us to the food, but also to the culture and everyday life in Santa Marta. You can really tell that he loves what he does. Thanks to him, we had an unforgettable experience and gained insights that go far beyond a typical visit to the city. We highly recommend Andrés 100% – an outstanding guide! Thank you so much for this fantastic experience!
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We’re really happy to hear you had such a memorable day exploring Santa Marta through its local flavors. It’s great to know Andrés made the experience so engaging, bringing the city to life through its food, culture, and everyday moments. Sounds like you got a truly authentic perspective beyond the usual visit. Thanks again for choosing Gran Colombia Tours—we’d love to have you back for more experiences in Colombia!
We took the half day food tour of Santa Marta while we were docked on our cruise here. Andre was an amazing guide and took some great photos of our group. I found him easy to understand and he tailored the tour for the pace of our group. It was a perfect blend of history and food. Tasting all the fruits that I had never seen before was so much fun. Highly recommend this tour.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you had such a great experience on the food tour in Santa Marta and that Andre made it even more special with his guidance, photos, and flexibility to match your group’s pace. It’s great to know you enjoyed the perfect mix of history and food—especially discovering and tasting new fruits. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours soon!
An incredible food tasting experience with Mr. juice. Not only did he cut fruit and explain each taste. We had numerous stops for local foods which he described in detail. his explanation of the history of his country showed his love. The best tour I’ve had in a long time.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you had such an incredible food tasting experience and that “Mr. Juice” made it so engaging and memorable. It’s great to know you enjoyed the variety of local flavors and the rich cultural insights shared along the way. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours soon!
Great walking food tour in Santa Marta! Our guide was really friendly and kind. He also shared historical information about the country and the city which was very informative. Our guide, Andres, was terrific!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re very happy to hear that you had such a great experience on the food tour in Santa Marta. It’s great to know that Andrés made the tour so enjoyable. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Gran Colombia Tours—we hope to welcome you again on another experience in Colombia!
Last minute booking when the weather for a boat trip turned unfavorable - lucky turn of events. Andres was our energetic and knowledgeable guide, who took us to taste ~8 dishes at 5 spots, most of which we would not have noticed or sampled had we been wandering on our own. The highlights included a street vendor, who goes to work at 2:30 am every day to start cooking and buying fresh fish and ingredients, and makes a fish soup and a shrimp rice that were incredible. It was hot and humid, and we were hesitant about eating hot soup in the afternoon, but once we sampled it we could not stop. Also stopped at a fruit stand and tried a variety of tropical fruits, some of which we had never heard of, many of which are not available outside of this area (lulo, zapote, tree tomato, passion fruit, gulupa, guava, sour orange, corozo, mango. Followed with icy fresh fruit juices (lulo, maracumango). Also tried local coffee with cinnamon, arepa de huevo (with fried egg inside), cayeye and chicharrones, and local gelato. We were so stuffed we couldn't finish each course. So glad we did this tour!
Thank you for your wonderful and detailed feedback! We’re delighted to hear that the tour turned out to be such a great last-minute decision. It’s fantastic to know that Andrés made the experience so engaging while introducing you to so many local flavors and hidden food spots. Thank you for choosing Gran Colombia Tours. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
A very pleasant tour under knowledgeable guidance. A tip: Just don't eat breakfast first. The portions at the stations are not only very delicious, but also abundant. It's all highly recommended.
Thank you for your kind words! We're glad to know you enjoyed the experience and appreciated both the generous tastings and the guide's knowledge. We’ll definitely pass along your tip—coming hungry is a great idea! We hope to see you again soon on another Colombian adventure.
The Food Tour was very educational of all the food that is served In Santa Martha I would recommend this tour for everyone
Thank you for your positive feedback! We're glad you found the Food Tour in Santa Marta so educational and enjoyable. It's great to hear you would recommend it to others. We hope to welcome you back for more delicious experiences!
