Flavors of Puerto Rico - Food Tour in Old San Juan

Discover the culinary delights of Puerto Rico with The International Kitchen. Explore the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean island on an old San Juan food tour. Immerse yourself in the culture tour of authentic flavors of Puerto Rico with expert and knowledgeable guides and experience a one-of-a-kind food tour in Puerto Rico.

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Enjoying time in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Enjoying time at the beach with friends in Puerto Rico.

The beautiful beaches of Puerto Rico.

Traditional foods at La Alcapurria Quema in Plazita Santurce.

A day exploring the beautiful ocean waters of Puerto Rico.

A view of the sea and the citadel of Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

The beautiful coastline of Puerto Rico.

Traditional rice dish in Puerto Rico.

A dish of traditional foods in Puerto Rico.

A delicious pina colada cocktail on the beach.

Tasting red beans and rice on a Puerto Rico culinary tour.

Enjoying the colorful center of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Panoramic landscape along the coastline of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Enjoying roasted pork on the Guavate pork road.

Traditional foods of Puerto Rico.

Eating shrimp mofongo during a Puerto Rico food tour.

Enjoying mofongo at the Mampostealo Restaurant in Puerto Rico.

A view of the ocean during a Puerto Rico culinary tour with The International Kitchen.

Dining on delicious and authentic Puerto Rican food during a Caribbean culinary vacation.

A delicious dish of mofongo, Puerto Rico's national dish.

Enjoying fresh produce during a culinary tour of Puerto Rico.

Enjoying traditional foods on a culinary tour of Puerto Rico.

The beautiful ocean waters of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican food at its finest during a food festival.

Delicious fish and rice at a restaurant in Santurce, Puerto Rico

El Morro, or Castillo San Felipe del Morro, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Fish and mofongo at a restaurant in Puerto Rico.

Enjoying picturesque Old San Juan during a Puerto Rico tour with The International Kitchen.

The cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A delicious meal at Casa Vieja in Puerto Rico.

Enjoying a meal at Hecho en Casa in Puerto Rico.

Stopping for a meal at an ocean front bar and grill.

Enjoying chickpeas in Old San Juan.

Enjoying a traditional plate of rice and red beans in Puerto Rico.

Enjoying the local foods at a chinchorro in Puerto Rico.

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Overview

Puerto Rico Food Tour & Cooking Vacations in San Juan

Puerto Rico lies at the very center of the Caribbean, and it is the perfect destination for an amazing Caribbean culinary vacations and food tours. Even though the island territory is small – making for an amazing and intimate culinary tour – it has over 300 miles of coastline with gorgeous white sand beaches, not to mention lush mountain ranges.

Puerto Rico, a US commonwealth, is actually an archipelago made up of a main island, four smaller islands, and many islets. Its cultural heritage is rich, arising from the diverse backgrounds of the Taíno, Spanish, and African cultures. It gastronomic heritage as just as fascinating, and the world of local cuisine is yours to explore on our food tour in Puerto Rico.

The Puerto Rican people, or “Boricuas,” as they are called, are a proud and friendly people, ready to welcome you to their island home and show you their enchanting culture.

Among the many sites to explore on a Puerto Rico food tour, the most popular is Old San Juan. Its 500 years of history are traced in the cobblestone streets, colonial buildings, and lively restaurants and bars. Whether you are in Puerto Rico for a our three-night Old San Juan food tour or able to explore the island more in depth during our Flavors of Puerto Rico Caribbean culinary vacation, San Juan will be one of the highlights of your trip.

From the beaches and azure waters of Isla Verde, to the rum plantations of Vega Alta, from the coffee haciendas to the famed “pork road” of Guavate, Puerto Rico’s rich history and fantastic gastronomy are calling you. Come explore this amazing island on a Puerto Rico food tour and discover why this island is one of the best destinations for an unforgettable culinary vacation.

Latest Review

We gave this trip 5 stars

★★★★★

Peter & Rhonda

My husband and I just returned from a six day vacation in Puerto Rico which was masterfully organized by TIK. Combining local tours and culinary adventures, it was the perfect getaway. Our travel guru, Peg at TIK, listened to us and gave us exactly what we wanted. The local company communicated very well, updating us on events and letting us know who our drivers were, what they were driving, and when to expect them. The drivers and tour guides were knowledgeable, personable, and early. Our local contact gave us helpful restaurant and shopping recommendations and answered all of our questions in a timely manner. There was always an added element to our excursions, giving us more than we anticipated. Again, TIK went over and above to give us a memorable trip.

Old San Juan Food Tour Details

Your amazing 6-night Puerto Rico culinary vacation will show you the beauty and delicious gastronomy of this amazing island country. Your 6-night Caribbean foodie tour includes:

a hands-on cooking class
accommodations at boutique properties
walking of Old San Juan
rum tastings
visit of sugar cane plantation and coffee farm
fabulous beach day
excursion to Guavate to taste Puerto Rican lechón
and more!

Itinerary

San Juan Puerto Rico Food Tour Itinerary
3-Night Puerto Rico Culinary Vacation Itinerary

Day One

Arrival at San Juan airport and private transfer to your hotel.
Time on your own to relax, and dinner tonight on your own. If you want a multi-course tasting menu tonight or any other night with an international chef or one of the local up-and-coming culinary stars, please let us know ahead of time so we can reserve a table for you.
Overnight.

Day Two

Start day two of your Puerto Rico food tour by stepping out of your centrally-located hotel to find a perfect breakfast spot.
Next, meet your guide for a private walking tour of Old San Juan. You will have aromatic local coffee at a Bohemian cafe, not to mention a lively discussion of the history and contemporary culture of Puerto Rico, its typical holidays and folklore, and family traditions. Stop at a local supermarket to learn about the staples of Puerto Rican cuisine, which go back to the time of the Taino Indians, along with the ingredients brought later to the island from Africa and Europe.
Next, proceed to a rum tasting, with the entire line up of local rums headed by an experienced bartender.
Stop during the tour for lunch featuring Puerto Rican specialties (cost of lunch not included, paid locally based on your selections).
This afternoon, enjoy time on your own to explore or relax at the beach. Dinner tonight on your own, with recommendations by your host.
Overnight.

Day Three

Breakfast on your own.
Private transfer (of about 10 minutes) to the chef’s home for a shared, small group hands-on cooking class. She will use recipes handed down from her grandmother, and you will prepare a traditional farm-to-table meal with appetizer and main dish.
Lunch will follow, with dessert and coffee.
Transfer back to Old San Juan.
This evening, enjoy time on your own to relax or explore. Dinner on your own.
Overnight.

Day Four

Breakfast on your own and check out.
Continue your San Juan food tour with a transfer with your private guide to Vega Alta, about 30 minutes away, home to the only sugar cane plantation estate and traditional distillery in Puerto Rico. Here they produce fine rum the original way, directly from sugar cane that they grow, unlike most industrially-produced rums, which are distilled from molasses made from sugar cane juice sourced from elsewhere. Taste real Puerto Rican rum at the source!
Join a shared tour of the cane fields and distillery, learning about how they make this unique product from start to finish. And end, of course, with a rum tasting.
Spend the rest of the day beach hopping between the gorgeous Cerro Gordo and Mar Chiquita beaches, where you will be able to relax and also taste the typical finger food served at the open-air chinchorros that the locals love. Alcapurrias, empanadillas, pastelillos, bacalaitos, seafood skewers, and more await you! (Cost of finger food paid locally, but expect to spend $15-$20 per person depending on the size of your appetite!)
Return to the San Juan metro area and check in at your beach-front hotel in the Isla Verde neighborhood.
Dinner on your own and overnight.

Day Five

Head out for breakfast on your own.
Free day to enjoy the beach by day and the tropical food, drinks, and music by night!
Overnight.

Day Six

Head out for breakfast on your own.
Your Puerto Rico food tour continues with a transfer with your private guide to San Lorenzo (about 40 minutes away), where you will join a small group visit a local coffee farm to learn about the island’s coffee history, as well as about modern methods for growing, processing, and roasting coffee. End the tour with a tasting.
Next, head to Guavate (about 25 minutes away) and visit the legendary road that travels through the countryside of central Puerto Rico. Guavate has earned cult status among the locals for its lechoneras, the rustic, open-air eateries along the road that specialize in lechón, or whole, spit-roasted pig. The lechoneras start at the base of the mountains and continue on both sides of the road for several miles.
Enjoy a lunch of lechón, the house specialty, or of ribs, roasted chicken, or morcilla (blood sausage). (Cost of lunch paid locally based on your selections.)
Return to your hotel. Dinner on your own.
Overnight.