San José can sometimes feel overwhelming to first-time visitors. Take the mystery out of your visit by exploring with a local on a private walking tour. This personalized tour allows you to discover the exterior of monuments, including museums, while learning about the city’s history and culture. If you wish to include a museum visit, your guide can adapt the itinerary—just let us know in advance. Your guide contacts you beforehand to understand your interests, ensuring a meaningful experience. Ideal for families, solo travelers, or couples, this tour reveals hidden gems and authentic local life.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $69.
Larger groups pay less per person.
Out at sunset: the 3:30 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 5:16 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.
The National Theater of Costa Rica is the main theater of Costa Rica. It is located on the east side of the Plaza Juan Mora Fernandez in the city of San Jose, on Avenida 2 Libertador Juan Rafael Mora, 3rd and 5th streets in the Cathedral district, San Jose. The National Theater is a building of historicist architecture completed in 1897.
The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is a museum in San José, Costa Rica. It is located in a subterranean building underneath the "Plaza de la Cultura" and is owned and curated by the Banco Central de Costa Rica.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of San José Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana is a cathedral in San José, Costa Rica, located on Calle Central and Avenues 2 and 4. The original cathedral was built in 1802 but was destroyed by an earthquake.
La Sabana Padre Chapuí Metropolitan Park, commonly known as: La Sabana, is a Costa Rican urban park located in the district of Mata Redonda, in the city of San José.
The National Museum of Costa Rica is located in the city of San José. It was created on May 4, 1887 by means of agreement Nº 60, during the administration of President Bernardo Soto Alfaro.(entry is 11 $)
The local guide will pick you up at your hotel ( if located in San Jose ). Travelers can request the tour to start from any centrally located hotel. In case your hotel is outside the city center we will select a convenient meeting point in the city center.Tour may end at a different location from the departure point unless requested in advance of the tour.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 738 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
San Jose : Private Custom Guided Tour With A Guide (Private Tour) lasts about 2–8 hours. The itinerary has 5 stops.
Prices start at $34 per person for this San Jose experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $69. There are 5 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 19 departures a day between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. The local guide will pick you up at your hotel ( if located in San Jose ). Travelers can request the tour to start from any centrally located hotel. In case your hotel is outside the city center we will select a convenient meeting point in the city center.Tour may end at a different location from the departure point unless requested in advance of the tour. Pickup points include Hotel 710, Hotel Don Carlos.
The experience is available in EN, FR, ES.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 49 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Guydeez.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Guide Gustavo was good, explained everything Problem came when came about entering any museum etc. ticket said entrance is free. But there was a ticket every where. So mostly we saw the places from outside. Since our Guide Gustavo was very knowledgeable, he explained everything from outside. Rest we only did shopping in Central Avenue.
They should only get Paul to be their tour guide as he provided so much insights about the places we visit. Excellent experience.
We had a private tour with Paul as our guide. It was excellent! He hit so many special spots and made the tour memorable with great stories and took us to an authentic Costa Rican restaurant where we had a fabulous meal! It was a fabulous day!
Had a walking tour through the city of San Jose and had an amazing time with Gustavo. We saw the entire city and met some wonderful people. Historical sites were absolutely beautiful and amazing. We even stopped and had some great food. The tour was well worth it.
Our tour guide was very fragmented in his thinking and walked at an incredibly fast pace. Everything felt rushed. He was also very pushy; my husband and I felt that he was always working an angle — pushing products and places on us. San Jose would be OK to explore on your own.
Paul is an excellent guide. He showed us much more than expected, a very complete tour, tailored to our tastes and time. Highly recommended
Gus was an excellent tour guide. He had a vast wealth of knowledge about San Jose. He let us set our own itinerary at a pace that was good for us. He has a wonderful sense of humor, was kind and generous. He took us to many different parts of San Jose giving us the history as he went along then ended in the central market where we sampled all different kinds of delicious fruits and vegetables. Do not hesitate to book with him
Paul was our guide for this excursion and he took us to the most popular places in San Jose but also took us to some historical sites and expressed their importance to the Costa Rican people and their culture. You could feel the pride he has for his country. We also stopped for lunch at a famous restaurant for lunch where he took the liberty of ordering dishes we had not yet experienced while in Costa Rica. Delicious!... Pura Vida!
What a wonderful visit with the excellent Paul! He makes sure to explain everything! We have learned so many things all more interesting than each other! It was just perfect!
My guide, Paul, communicated through WhatsApp and was very punctual. We went to lunch at a nice restaurant with typical food and live music (I paid for our lunches which was not included). We went to the Museo de Jade (paid extra for us) which I loved and wish I could have spent more time in. Paul had a ticket for me for the National Theater which was well worth it. I requested that Paul spoke Spanish to me to practice and he was very patient with me. We went to the central market which was fun and not too busy as we went an hour before closing. I learned about some of the history of San Jose and Costa Rica. We went to the National Library since I am a librarian. Paul showed me a neighborhood with lots of nice restaurants and recommended one which was tasty. Overall would recommend this tour.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose : Private Custom Guided Tour With A Guide (Private Tour) | 2–8 hours | 4.8 (49) | $34 | |
 Guided Walking Tour in San Jose with Lunch | 3h 30min | 4.6 (18) | $68 | View |
 Multi-stop transportation option for a custom itinerary | 4–8 hours | — | $250 | View |
 Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of San Jose Highlights | 1h 30min | 5.0 (5) | $6 | View |
 San Jose Guided City Tour: Architecture, Culture, Food and History | 3h 10min | 4.2 (9) | $150 | View |
 Guided Tour to the Animal Rescue Center in San José (sloth tour) | 4 hours | 5.0 (1) | $160 | View |
 Costa Rica's Tropical fruit Guided Tasting in San Jose | 2 hours | 5.0 (1) | $35 | View |