Marbella Old Town Food Tour: Three taverns, one local guide

Three hours, three taverns, one guide who knows which doors to knock on.

You walk through Marbella's Old Town with a local guide for three hours, stopping at three traditional taverns that locals keep to themselves. You taste award-winning Ensaladilla Rusa, hand-carved Iberian ham, Payoyo cheese, salt-cured tuna, and three paired Andalusian wines: cava, Verdejo, and a local red. All gratuities are included, so you never reach for your wallet at the table. Small groups mean you're not herded. The pace lets you linger and ask questions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Marbella Old Town Tapas and Wine Tour

• Meet at Orange Square fountain
• Guide introduces Marbella Old Town
• Walk to oldest tapas bar
• Taste Ensaladilla Rusa and croquetas with cava
• Visit family-run taberna near Orange Square
• Sample Iberian ham, Payoyo cheese, and Verdejo wine
• Walk through Alameda gardens to Avenida del Mar
• View Salvador Dalí sculptures and take photos
• Stop at Jerez-style bodega
• Enjoy red wine, salt-cured tuna, and gambas al pil-pil
• Stroll back through whitewashed lanes
• See Iglesia de la Encarnacion and old Arab walls
• Return to Orange Square for guide's local tips

The experience

The Ensaladilla Rusa at Marbella's oldest tapas bar (the one that's been pouring since the 1950s) tastes nothing like the version you've had anywhere else. It's been winning awards for a reason, and you'll understand why the moment the first spoonful lands. Your local guide meets you at Orange Square, by the fountain next to the little Ermita de Santiago chapel, and from there the tour moves through the whitewashed lanes of the Old Town to three traditional taverns that don't make it into the guidebooks. These are the places locals actually eat, and the guide knows the owners by name.

The first stop comes with a glass of cava and those croquetas: hand-rolled chicken and ham, still warm. Then down one of the narrowest lanes to a family-run taberna tucked just off the square, where you'll hand-carve Iberian bellota ham and set it beside Payoyo, Spain's most awarded cheese, made high in the Sierra de Cádiz from the milk of the native payoya goat. A crisp, chilled Verdejo comes with it. The guide talks about the old town as you eat (the Casa del Corregidor, the Arab walls, the stories that don't fit on a plaque), and you start to see Marbella the way the people who live here do, not the way the postcards show it.

Between the second and third stops, there's a walk through the Alameda gardens down to Avenida del Mar, where ten bronze Salvador Dalí sculptures line the street. Time for photos and the stories behind them. The final tavern is a traditional Jerez-style bodega (all dark wood and hanging hams), where you finish with a glass of local red, mojama de atún (salt-cured red tuna from the Cádiz coast), and gambas al pil-pil sizzling in garlic. By the time you stroll back through the lanes to Orange Square, you've had a full dinner's worth of food, three wines, and the kind of knowledge about a place that only comes from someone who actually lives there. This tour has been running since 2018: the first of its kind in Marbella, and still the most reviewed food tour in the city.

What’s included

• Your expert local guide and food host leads the entire experience.
• You receive three drinks, one paired at each tavern, plus 8–10 authentic Andalusian tapas across the three traditional taverns: award-winning Ensaladilla Rusa, home-made croquetas, hand-carved Iberian bellota ham, Payoyo cheese, salt-cured Cádiz tuna, and gambas al pil-pil.
• All gratuities and tips for the restaurants and waiters are included, so you never handle payment at the table.
• The guide also shares stories about the Old Town, the Dalí sculptures on Avenida del Mar, and gives personal tips for the rest of your stay in Marbella.

Before you book

Lasts 3h, runs Thursday to Saturday at 18:30, from € 110 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Swedish, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesThursday to SaturdayDeparts at 18:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Under 14: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Swedish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Taste Marbella

Is this one for you?Right for travellers who want to eat the way locals do without spending the evening figuring out which restaurants are worth the walk. The three-hour pace means you're not rushed between stops, and the small-group format lets you ask the guide about the food and the history as you go.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Swedish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years). Children under 14 can't be included in the booking.

How long is the tour?

Three hours, starting at Orange Square and ending back there after the final tavern.

What's included to drink?

Three wines: cava at the first stop, a crisp Verdejo at the second, and a local red at the final bodega. Non-alcoholic options are available.

Is this tour suitable for vegetarians?

The tour focuses on traditional Andalusian tapas, which are meat and seafood-based. Contact the operator in advance if you have dietary restrictions.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes, this is a small-group tour and spots fill up. Book ahead to secure your place.

Is the Old Town easy to walk?

The tour is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces are accessible. The pace is gentle, suitable for all fitness levels.

What if I have a gluten allergy?

The tour is not recommended for travellers with celiac disease, as most tapas contain gluten. Speak to the operator before booking.

Are tips included?

Yes. All gratuities and tips for the restaurants and waiters are included in the price.