Bogotá Food Tour: 7 Regional Dishes & La Candelaria Walking
Seven dishes, seven neighborhoods, one afternoon in Bogotá's oldest quarter
You walk through Bogotá's historic La Candelaria neighborhood stopping at seven family-owned eateries and market stalls, tasting one regional Colombian dish at each: carimañolas, ceviche, obleas, tamal, aborrajado, mamona, and ajiaco. Your bilingual guide shares the cultural story behind each dish and the region it comes from. The route adapts based on weather and availability, so no two tours are identical. Bring comfortable shoes and arrive hungry. The whole experience takes three to four hours and ends where it began.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Culinary walking tour in La Candelaria
- Meet inside The Cranky Croc Hostel
- Taste carimañolas at Di Amato
- Try Colombian ceviche at María Tomasa
- Sample obleas with arequipe at Plaza de la Concordia
- Eat tamal tolimense at Donde el Flaco
- Enjoy ajiaco santafereño at La Puerta de la Catedral
- Savor mamona grilled beef at Carbón de Leña
- Finish with aborrajado caleño at Fulanitos Candelaria
What’s included
Your tour includes food tastings at seven different stops with small samples of traditional dishes from various Colombian regions, cultural storytelling about the meaning and origin of each dish, a walking tour through La Candelaria exploring Bogotá's historic center on foot, and a local bilingual guide knowledgeable in Colombian culture, history, and gastronomy.
Times
- Every day 13:30
Before you book
Operated by Walking tour bogota by (The True Colombian Experience)
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
You're standing in La Candelaria, Bogotá's colonial heart, and the smell of grilled meat and fried plantains drifts from a narrow storefront. Your guide (bilingual, born here) points to a handwritten menu taped to the window and tells you the story of the dish you're about to taste: where it comes from, who makes it, why it matters. This is how the food tour works. You don't sit down for a meal. You walk, you stop, you taste small portions of real food at real places, and between each stop you learn something about the region that made the dish. Seven stops total. Seven different regions of Colombia, all on one afternoon in the city.
The route isn't fixed: your guide adapts it depending on what's open, what's busy, what the weather does. You might start with carimañolas, those golden coastal fritters, at Di Amato, then move to a ceviche spot where the fish tastes like the Caribbean. Plaza de la Concordia comes next, where you try obleas with arequipe, a sweet snack that's been sold the same way for decades. Then comes tamal tolimense from the Tolima region, aborrajado caleño (fried plantain stuffed with cheese and meat), mamona grilled over charcoal, and finally ajiaco santafereño: Bogotá's signature soup, the one locals eat when they want to feel at home. The order changes. The venues might shift. That flexibility is the point. It keeps the experience fresh and means you're eating what's actually good that day, not what's printed in a script.
Wear comfortable shoes. You'll walk the whole time, and the cobblestones in La Candelaria are uneven. Bring water. Come hungry. The portions are small but they add up, and the pace is leisurely enough that you're not rushing between stops. If you're vegetarian or vegan, tell your guide at the start and they'll find alternatives at each spot. The meeting point is inside The Cranky Croc Hostel, and the tour takes roughly three to four hours depending on crowds and how long you linger at each place. Hotel pickup isn't included unless you arrange it separately for an extra fee, so plan your transport to La Candelaria in advance.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste real Colombian food the way locals eat it, in small portions across multiple spots, without arranging restaurants, timing, or transport yourself. The flexible itinerary is what makes it work: your guide adapts to what's actually good and open that day, so you're never eating from a fixed script.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 11 years); Child (3 to 5 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What exactly do you taste on the Bogotá food tour?
Seven small portions of traditional Colombian dishes from different regions: carimañolas (coastal fritters), ceviche, obleas with arequipe (sweet snack), tamal tolimense, aborrajado caleño (fried plantain), mamona (grilled beef), and ajiaco santafereño (Bogotá's signature soup).
How long does the food tour take?
Approximately three to four hours, depending on crowds and how long you spend at each stop.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. The tour meets at The Cranky Croc Hostel in La Candelaria. Hotel pickup can be arranged for an additional fee.
Can the tour accommodate vegetarian or vegan diets?
Yes. Tell your guide at the start and they will find vegetarian or vegan alternatives at each stop.
What if a restaurant on the itinerary is closed?
The guide replaces it with an equally authentic alternative. The order and specific venues may change based on weather, availability, and city events.
Do I need to be fit for this tour?
It's a walking tour on cobblestone streets in La Candelaria. Comfortable shoes are essential. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health, but suitable for all other fitness levels.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
La Candelaria's streets are historic and uneven, which limits full accessibility. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Contact the operator about your specific needs.
What should I bring?
Comfortable walking shoes, water, and an appetite. Allow extra time for traffic if arranging your own transport to the meeting point.
Bogotá Food Tour: 7 Regional Dishes & La Candelaria Walking
4h–5h · EN · ES
from US$ 47.15 per person
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