5-Hour Cooking and Tasting Class with Market Small Group Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

5 hours

Mobile ticket

Experience the vibrant essence of Cartagena at Bazurto Market! Join our guided tour through lively stalls, and immerse yourself in the captivating rhythms of Caribbean music. Plus, elevate your culinary skills with a hands-on cooking class led by a local chef, where you'll learn to create traditional Colombian dishes using fresh ingredients. Uncover the heart of Cartagena's culture and flavors in this unforgettable market and cooking adventure.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recomended for Young children

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Lunch

Air-conditioned vehicle

Kitchen tools

What To Expect

We will go the the biggest and most famous market of Cartagena, the Bazurto Market. The market is untidy, and has strong odors, but it’s also unique, colourful, vibrant, and generally very interesting. After about 40 minutes exploring the market we head to Cartagena Cooking School, where a fruit tasting of around a dozen exotic fruits from the market has been set up for you. You will get in-depth explanations to each of the fruits and their usages.

Sample Menu

starter

Arepitas Rellenas

Thick little corn arepas stuffed with chicken and/or vegetable stuffing

starter

Patacones rellenos

plantain baskets filled with shrimp and/or tomato-onion salsa

main

Fish in Bijao

Amazonian way of cooking a fish in a big leaf

dessert

Platano Picaro

Caramelized yellow plantain with Lulo Ice cream.

Options

5-Hour Cooking and Tasting Class with Market Small Group Tour

Reviews

5.00

18 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

An amazing experience for all foodies!
Christine2306,
Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was an amazing experience if you’re a foodie and want to learn more about the local fruits and gastronomy. It was quite interesting seeing the wide variety of exotic fruits during the market visit. Romario was very knowledgeable and made everyone feel welcomed. It was fun having everyone participate in cooking the different recipes. The kitchen was very clean and the meal was so delicious! I encourage everyone to visit Romario at the Cartagena Cooking School.
Do This Cooking and Market Experience in Cartagena
kshanoff,
Nov 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing experience. We were lucky that the two of us were the only participants that day. The first part of the day was spent at the Common People Market which gave us a real glimpse of how it is to not shop for food and other things not in a sterile supermarket setting. After buying some produce for our meal we returned to the school to prepare and eat a sumptuous lunch. With a very hands on and a very friendly approach we made course after course resulting probably the best meal we had during our Colombia tour.
Outstanding. Most fun I have had in Cartagena!
Mary F,
Mar 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Romario was a very good teacher and made the cooking so fun! He explained all the ingredients. The food was delicious and easy enough to make at home. The lulo ice cream was a true delight! The location and facilities were excellent - very clean. Highly recommend.
Super fun!
Esther K,
Mar 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The chef was very friendly and could explain a lot about the techniques and ingredients. I cooked and ate delicious!
Best experience in Cartagena!
jpv392,
Dec 28, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The Cartagena cooking school has been the highlight of our trip to Cartagena so far! The place is amazing, with the breeze flowing through the building as we cooked a delightful four-course meal. We learned to make two types of arepas, patacones (tostones), cassava puree, plantain leaf-wrapped grouper, and a delicious lulo ice cream with sweet plantains. The instructors were incredible, ensuring everyone in the class felt included and engaged. It was a fantastic experience, and we even made some new friends along the way. Highly recommended!
100% recommend - brilliant
Sophie K,
Sep 9, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Would highly recommend - brilliant cooking class. Really enjoyed it - the food was delicious and the set up and class was perfectly organised. Romario was really welcoming and the ideal host. If you’re looking for a great way to spend a few hours in Cartagena and learn about Colombian food, this is the perfect choice and you’ll come away very full!
10/10 DO recommend
Courtney M,
Jul 1, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
I enjoyed this experience! I went to the market alone with the tour guide and we picked up a few things. I was able to taste a few things being cooked in the market & see where locals come to shop. During the cooking portion, it was 3 of us. We made boronia, hogao, empanadas, posta, arroz con coco, & enyucada. Everything was amazing & Romario was very kind. Please make time for this experience!!!🇨🇴
An excellent experience
Erica S,
Mar 27, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
I researched booking classes with several different companies, but Cartagena Cooking School was the only company that didn't charge extra for being a solo traveler. I very much appreciate that. It's holy week, so it was incredibly busy at the market, but the guides were knowledgeable about not just the market, but Cartagena in general. I would not want to try to navigate the market without a guide. It's crowded and it would be very easy to get lost. I wound up being the only person booked for the day, so I actually got a private tour. We started with the market tour, then we went back to the cooking school where we had a fruit tasting, and then cooked lunch. I got to try a bunch of things I'd never had before. When we were almost done they shared some holy week snacks and explained their significance to me. All in all, I had a fantastic day and left very full. I will say that, like all things in Cartagena, you will be hot during this tour. Also, the market was not an issue for me, but I'm sure that not everyone would be comfortable there. It's often dark, it's hot, it's crowded, and at times it doesn't smell great. Still, it's interesting to leave the confines of the tourist area in the walled city.
Fantastic Colombia food experience!
E5452GFleslieh,
Feb 20, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This experience led by Alvarro was just amazing. First he took me on the market tour explaining how the market operates, likening it to a mall with a food court, all the stores and even a drive through area, then we returned to the school and I was treated to a tasting of many Colombia array of fruits and then we cooked a meal with two appetizers, a main dish with sides and a delicious dessert. The food was delicious! Alvarro was very personable and friendly, included everyone in the process and planned and helped us prepare a scrumptious meal. He even gave us lessons on plating! This experience was fantastic for anyone wishing to learn more about the culture of and the tastes of Colombian food!
Wonderful experience!
DavidEmpey,
Jan 31, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely fantastic experience, highly recommend! Owar was a fantastic chef and guide. This is a don’t miss experience if you are in Cartagena.