Learn to cook traditional Colombian food during this half-day class in Cartagena. Shop at a local open-air market with your chef/instructor, who will guide you in selecting ingredients for the dishes. In a local family's kitchen, try your hand at making dishes such as empanadas, coconut rice and others; then feast on your work. Round-trip transportation from Cartagena hotels or a central downtown meeting point is included.

Learn how to make traditional dishes like empanadas or coconut rice
Visit a local open-air market to select ingredients
Cook in a family kitchen just outside the Centro Historico
Round-trip transportation from central Cartagena

Sample Menu

Main

Stuffed fish

Stuffed with vegetables it it serve with cocunut rice, patacones, salad and something to drink.

Main

Frite fish.

Served with cocnut rice, patacones, salad and something to drink.

Main

Fish soup.

With Plantain, casaba, corn, vegetables, coconut reice, patacones and somthing to drink.

Main

Garlic shrimp.

Served with coconut rice, patacones, salad and something to drink

Main

Posta Cartagenera, Beef Cartagenas way

Main

Chees soup

Served with white coconut rice, patacones and something to drink.

Main

Vegetarian food.

What's Included

Local guide
Hotel pickup and dropoff
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Bottled water
Lunch
Snacks

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Meeting And Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:00 am

Pickup details

We pick up people on any hotel in Cartagena De Indias. Hoteles. Santa Clara, Santa Teresa, Don Pedro De Heredia, Ananda, tres Banderas, Hilton, Caribe.

What To Expect

Begin your culinary experience with a pickup from your Cartagena hotel or a pre-arranged meeting point downtown.

Transfer to a local open-air market to meet your chef/instructor. Peruse the market for ingredients you'll use to make the day's dishes. Immerse yourself in the colors, smells and tastes of the bustling local market, learn how locals shop for their daily produce and cooking supplies. Taste exotic fruit juices and fried snacks such as papa rellena, carmanola and arepae'huevo.

Once you've collected the necessary ingredients, proceed to the local family's kitchen, in a house located just outside the Centro Historico. Together, prepare the dishes under the chef's direction, then sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Get convenient drop-off back at your hotel or in downtown Cartagena after the class.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Dress code is smart casual. Closed toe shoe is a Must.
The duration of transfers are approximate, the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions
Pickup point must be reconfirm at the time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible

Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Infant seats available
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveller Photos

Featured review

Cynthia_V

Angel, our host, is a bundle of energy, knowledge, and FUN! His wife, Maria, is a gifted cook who provides the background and rationale for each of her recipes. We learned so very much from these two. It was a brilliant idea to share our day with locals who could color our experience. The food, company, and experience were absolutely the best! Thank you, Angel and Maria!

Reviews

5.0

84 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 84 reviews

Brilliant Cooking Class!

Cynthia_V, Apr 2023

Response from Host, Apr 2023

What a beautiful and unique review. We hope to see you around again. You made our day special. Thanks a lot for everything. Sincerely Maria Angelica Durán

Great activity. Lots of Fun!

JoseAntonio_P, Mar 2023

We like to try different classes while different other countries A way for the family to learn about different cuisines The tour with DuranDuran was fantastic. A lovely family that welcomes you to their home and makes you part of their home for a few hours. You will have fun and a good meal

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Good evening. Thanks a lot for visiting our home. You made us having an excellent day. Sincerely Durán Angel

Amazing Local Experience

Tiare_S, Feb 2023

Local family creating a wonderful local experience. Friendly and fun hosts. Amazing, delicious meal.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Good morning. Very nice way to start a new day. Thanks for your comment. Sincerely Angel Eduardo Durán

It was an absolutely...

Tonya_S, Oct 2022

It was an absolutely wonderful personal experience where a man brought us into his own home for a home-cooked meal. Prior to eating the meal we went to the market and hand selected all the vegetables and fruits and the fish for our meal. We also participated in preparing the meal. I would recommend this tour for everyone who wants to experience Columbia in a personal way. Superb experience.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Good morning. Our tour guide and the cook did have good time too, thanks a lot for taking time to write about your Cooking Class Experience. Sincerely Maria Angelica Durán

Beyond the city walls a kitchen with heart

Patricia_R, Sept 2022

Angel and his wife Maria welcomed us into the warmth filled home! We met their adult children, shared stories and showed us how to cook a traditional homecooked Colombian meal. But before doing so, Angel took us to the local market. A maze of stalls selling everything you can imagine! We got to not only buy the fresh ingredients for our lunch, we got to snack along the way tasting diffetent food and fruits. WEll WORTH spending an afternoon. ps: they pick you up abs bring you back.

Response from Host, Sept 2022

Hello. Thanks a lot for writing about your nice experience, please, say hello to Michael and God bless you 2 and your family. It was nice to have you at home. Sincerely Maria Angelica Durán

Delicious and so much fun!

Elisabeth_E, Aug 2022

I wouldn’t have felt comfortable going to the market alone but our tour guides made us feel safe. They navigated the market and gave good explanations. They answered all of the (many) questions we had. We also got to try some new fruits. We went back to their home and cooked using the ingredients we purchased. Delicious and so much fun!

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Good morning. God bless you. Thanks for writing about your nice experience. We did love sharing with you. Thanks for visiting our house. Sincerely Angel Eduardo Durán

Incredible!

Patience_A, Apr 2022

This was such a beautiful and rich experience to observe how to purchase ingredients in the market and then how to cook traditional Colombian dishes. It was especially amazing to feel so welcomed in the house that we were cooking in by the guide's family. I would absolutely recommend it and would do it again if I could.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

We love your review. Thanks a lot for writing about it. Have a nice life. Sincerely Angel Eduardo Durán

Unforgettable Cartagena experience!

Rosie_P, Mar 2022

Such a special experience! Our day with Angel and Maria was the highlight of our time in Cartagena. It was amazing to visit the bustling Bazurto Market with a guide like Angel. He was fun and funny and got us to engage with the market. We then made a truly beautiful meal with Maria—even as seasoned cooks we learned so much from cooking with her. It was such a pleasure to spend time with this lovely family!

Response from Host, Apr 2022

God bless you. It was nice to meet you and to share with you this cooking experience. Thanks for visiting Colombia. Sincerely Angel Eduardo Durán

Fun experience!!

Luis_A, Mar 2022

What a wonderful day spent with Angel and Maria. They took very good care of us! The Bazurto Market is a must see at least once. We had a great time in their home cooking empanadas, delicious fish, coconut rice, patacones, and salad accompanied by tree tomato juice. Maria's helper and their son, Andres, joined us at the table for our lunch and it just felt like a family gathering for a beautiful meal. I highly recommend this experience!

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Good morning. We wish you an excellent day. We also enjoy your company and the empanadas. It was fun to get them ready. You 3 ladies were very special and kind. Thanks for giving us the opportunity of meeting you. God bless you. Sincerely Durán Durán Tours

Food, culture, laughs

Maranda_B, Aug 2021

The Durán family is amazing!! They welcomed us into their home and share food culture and laughs. We started at bazurto market where we shopped for our specific meal we got to practice our Spanish and shop with the locals. We returned home where we met Maria the chef. She was extreme sweet as was their son. We learned lots about Colombian food and culture and had amazing food. They made sure to accommodate our dietary need and still stick to Colombian cooking style. I can't wait to recreate these recipes at home.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Hello, it was an immense pleasure to share with you, we had a great time and we enjoyed your culinary references. Thanks for your support. Don't forget to go back and read Love In the time of cholera. Sincerely Durán Angel

Can't miss authentic experience in Cartagena

Zachary_H, Dec 2020

Angel Duran and his family were so warm and welcoming to our family (two adults one child). They took us shopping for fresh ingredients and then brought us to their home in an authentic (non-touristy) neighborhood. They strictly adhered to all covid protocols. We proceeded to cook with Angel, his wife, and their 21-year old son. The meal was phenomenal, we had a lot of fun, and we felt like we experienced true Colombian culture far more than through any normal tourist experience. This was one of the top travel experiences I've had and as close to "can't miss" as it gets.

Response from Host, Dec 2020

Thanks a lot for visiting Cartagena, you made our cooking experience very special, and we love the fact of you keeping in mind the covid protocols. Please, dont forget to come back, nex time we might have a Literature tour with Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Your son was an angel in the tour. God bless you all. Happy new year. Sincerely Durán Angel

Can’t miss local experience

Zachary_H, Dec 2020

Angel Duran and his family were so kind. They welcomed us into their home and showed us a wonderful time. We spent half the day with the father, mother and 21 year old son. We cooked a delightful meal together and learned about the local neighborhood and the people. They were very Covid safe and careful. It was truly one of the better and my more memorable ravel experiences that I’ve ever had. I would consider this a “can’t mess” experience.

Response from Host, Dec 2020

Thanks a lot for taking time to write about your experience, it was our pleasure to share with you and it was nice to see you following the covid rules. Happy new year. Sincerely Angel Durán

Wonderful Cooking Class!

duncanannelane, Feb 2020

We had a wonderful cooking class and Bazurto market tour with Maria, and Roger who helped out in the kitchen and provided translation support. We were picked up on time at our hotel on time by Roger and a driver and then made our way to the market, where we met up with Maria. The Bazurto market is authentic, with all the sights, sounds and smells you might imagine. Seeing all the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood - many of which you do not see in North America - is a real treat. We had a chance to sample a variety of fruit and we also bought some mangoes to take back to our hotel. We chose fish for the cooking class and made our way to one of the merchants that Maria deals with. We also picked up various vegetables and other fixings for the meal. We were not rushed wandering through the market and had plenty of time to take pictures and enjoy the ambiance. From the market we went to Maria's home where she holds the cooking classes. She has a comfortable, spotless home and we set about preparing our meal: fried fish, two different types of plantain, coconut rice, salad and fresh fruit juice. And what a meal it was! We had a wonderful time cooking, eating and talking about Cartagena and Colombia. Maria is a wonderful chef and host and we strongly recommend this cooking class.

Cooking Class in Cartagena

GerryCampbell, Nov 2019

We had a great time on this tour and was a highlight of our stay in Cartagena. My wife and I were picked up at the hotel (by durandurantours) and we proceeded to Bazurto market where we helped purchase the food for our class. The market is bustling hive of activity and you get to see up close how the locals shop for their food. We then went back to the tour operators house where he and a chef helped us prepare the meal of stuffed fish with coconut rice, salad and fried plantains. After the meal was prepared, we all sat down and enjoyed the feast we had prepared.

Amazing!!! Totally recommend

A S, Oct 2019

This was one of the best tours ever! Duran Duran was such a nice guy very respectful and helpful! The family was extremely welcoming the house was clean and neat very nice people the food was delish it was an awesome experience and if you come to Cartagena i totally totally recommend this!!!!

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Good morning. Thanks a lot for taking time to write about your experience with us. God bless you

We had such a wonderful time getting...

Erin D, Apr 2018

We had such a wonderful time getting to know a local family and visiting a local market. I'd love to go back and do this tour again!

We loved the market tour!! Our tour...

Jody S, Apr 2018

We loved the market tour!! Our tour guides were excellent. The food was outstanding!! Only one recommendation-- perhaps the cooking part could be a bit shorter... Overall, a fun and delicious experience!

I went on this tour with my husband...

Nicki B, Feb 2018

I went on this tour with my husband and six year old daughter. We had a great time and my daughter loved helping and eating what she made. The cooking class was nicely organized and we got to help and learn with every step. You will meet and cook with a Colombian family in their home. The cooking space is laid out well for cooking classes. Definitely a fun and memorable experience to add to your trip to Cartagena.

Poor planning, unorganized and not...

Jo_G, Jan 2018

Poor planning, unorganized and not suitable to call a cooking class. Very disappointed in Viators recommendation.

I truly enjoyed Duran Duran and his...

Tiffany W, Jan 2018

I truly enjoyed Duran Duran and his wife Maria!!! They treated my family like their own!! We had a great time in the kitchen. We learned not only about the Colombian cuisine, but received a day in the life of what a family in this beautiful country goes through. One of the best tours I have been on!