Santa Marta Food Tour Review: Is It Worth It?

Are you thinking about experiencing a Santa Marta food adventure? The vibrant Colombian town, which is nearly overflowing with history and, really, delicious food, has these food tours popping up all over the place. A question people often ask is this: do they live up to the hype? I had to see this for myself. I went ahead and took a Santa Marta Food City Tour, and, basically, I’m here to share what I discovered.

First Impressions: Meeting Santa Marta’s Flavors

The tour I picked took me to some places that I wouldn’t have thought of going on my own. So, it was sort of a relief. I was whisked away into the older part of the town, where the energy, very loud music, and these smells combine into a kind of symphony that hits you the minute you set foot. Our group met in a tiny, really inviting plaza, surrounded by buildings that had witnessed, as a matter of fact, more than a couple of centuries pass by. Right away, our guide greeted us. She just beamed enthusiasm, that one, as she, basically, introduced us to Santa Marta’s food history.

Now, the thing I was expecting the most, even more than the actual eating, was the education about local ingredients and cooking techniques. You see, it wasn’t only about just stuffing yourself, not at all; rather, that it was really about discovering just how dishes reflect the local culture and how the ingredients come together. And what goes into making those traditional recipes so very unique.

A Taste of Tradition: What’s on the Menu?

Oh boy, do you want to talk about the variety of what we tried. It was quite something, it really was. We moved along from one small place to another, trying out a little of everything, which let you enjoy, pretty much, all kinds of different specialties.

• Arepas: These are a Colombian staple, you see. And these are cornmeal cakes, which are kind of grilled and then stuffed with basically everything, from the freshest cheese to avocado and shredded beef. The version I enjoyed, wow, right off of a street vendor’s grill, had this comforting, almost smoky, smell. It was also paired beautifully with a very traditional suero costeño, which is this light, tangy type of cream.
• Cayeye: It’s also called Mote. That’s kind of a unique dish in that it’s crafted with green bananas that have been boiled, then mashed, and often prepared with queso costeño. If I were to pick one word to use, it’d be ‘satisfying’. That, or, maybe, ‘comforting’. That one hit those kind of cozy spots you have inside yourself, even despite the fact that it, literally, was the first time I’d seen something like that.
• Empanadas: I feel like you see these everywhere, but these Colombian empanadas are the real deal. Deep-fried corn pockets, which are really packed with potatoes and meat. And they had this crispiness outside with, inside, this warm filling. Of course, they gave us ají, this spicy sauce. I like hot stuff, you know? But go lightly, maybe, ‘cause it really does kick.
• Fresh Seafood: Now, considering you’re near the Caribbean, there’s a super strong showing with this fresh ceviche. It’s like the lime juice just cooks the fish so, too, you’ve got some onions, cilantro, and all kinds of other stuff to tickle your tongue a bit. It has a clean taste and the flavors really snap. It makes you feel quite refreshed from that heat, especially in that area.
• Exotic Fruits and Juices: Now, Colombia does get super creative when they make fruit juice. You’ll get things like lulo, maracuyá (passion fruit), and guanábana (soursop). They’re really bursting with a tart and almost tangy taste. It can be really revitalizing. Not only is it kind of good to cool off, it also keeps your taste buds, kind of, interested.

Behind the Scenes: Meeting the Locals

Arguably, one of the awesome parts of the food tour wasn’t just tasting the food, which was amazing, by the way, yet it had a bit to do with encountering these people behind them. Basically, the tour guides try their hardest to take you to spots these families run, as well as the hidden gems. That one really lets you connect personally with, arguably, everyone who makes this food scene so real. Talking with those local chefs or the street vendors, it gave me a very solid idea about just how significant this food is to the people living here, along with getting those untold stories from those living there.

Like, I recall, actually, this one very sweet lady running this arepa place that had, really, been in the family for quite some time. She would explain, arguably with excitement, every last detail about prepping this dough and precisely how important it was using good corn. She was very proud about keeping her traditions safe. Experiencing that actually made eating her arepas taste all the better.

The Guide Makes All the Difference

Our tour guide did way more than, that’s for certain, simply lead this group. She gave all the depth and substance you kind of expect from that kind of activity. Arguably, she seemed so stoked for Samarian cooking. With that kind of very apparent love, she really would enrich our tour. We learned quite a lot about the history of the area. She provided the details of how those specific plates that we tasted, arguably, told us about Santa Marta’s past.

She made great choices, such as pointing out those very subtle flavor nuances and telling all kinds of really interesting stories about recipes. Because of her, things tasted a bit better. As I recall, that tour guide really listened, too. With everybody’s own preferences being what they were, I felt that, truly, everybody in that group managed to feel taken care of. With those of us having dietary rules, as well as a couple picky eaters, her adaptability actually created a very custom and awesome tour for everybody.

The Verdict: Was it Worth It?

So, in terms of if this tour gave a good value and was entertaining, it’s like, big time, yes. You come to know the cooking style here. More than that, though, the Santa Marta food tour will give you access to folks and experiences you would totally overlook had you simply traipsed on through. Anyone who finds that the greatest way to know someplace better is through the food they eat? If that is you, then take the food tour of Santa Marta. In my opinion, that would have great value.

A lot of travelers have this habit of simply showing up and seeing these biggest sights without truly seeing inside what makes this area pulse with life. Because of going, I actually got closer to those cooking secrets passed down for many years, ate at great and well hidden places, and truly met this side of Santa Marta that one cannot discover on your own, to tell you the truth.

• Experiencing the real side of Colombian cooking: Instead of eating from any old dining spot, go off to these cooking legacies found around here.
• Supporting community based spots: Shop from families, bolster small jobs around here, and, arguably, get these true authentic culinary selections from the Samarian region.
• Guidance you can’t replace: Get past these menus that seem foreign or even picking out these must haves when you let someone who actually knows things do the planning for you, instead.
• Meeting people through cooking: Cooking joins everyone. You eat with folks coming from a broad part of this planet, exchanging stories, all due to seeing the town here.