You can eat your way through Las Palmas Old Town fast. This 2-hour tapas-and-drinks tour pairs local-only stops with a guide who explains what you’re tasting and why it matters. I like that it aims away from the usual tourist rooms and toward the places where locals actually linger. I also love how Artemis (and sometimes Alfredo, depending on who guides) keeps the vibe friendly and personal. One thing to consider: if you’re picky about food, you should confirm dietary needs up front, because one vegetarian guest reported a mix-up.

You start near San Telmo Church and move through the old district in an itinerary that can shift by the night’s mood and your interests. You’ll chat with bar staff (often Spanish only), meet owners at traditional spots, and get practical guidance for what to do after the tour. The main drawback is that this is mostly walking and the pacing can feel a bit quick if your guide is talking while moving.

Small-group feel: “almost private” with limited capacity

Local bar conversations: Spanish-only chats can be part of the fun

Tasting structure: 2 tapas plus 2 drinks included

Flexible routing: the night’s itinerary can change with scenes and preferences

Photo moments: lively street life, food, and occasional viewpoints

A real guide, not a lecture: history and dish origins woven in

Entering Las Palmas Old Town Through San Telmo Church

This tour is built for people who want Las Palmas to feel like a living city, not a food checklist. You meet at San Telmo Church, under the church’s only wooden balcony. It’s close to the tourist office and about a 2-minute walk from the main island bus station area (the Global San Telmo Island Bus Station with the blue buses). If you’re arriving by bus between Maspalomas or other parts of the island, this meeting point is handy.

The walk from there puts you in the Old City orbit quickly—near the cathedral zone—so you don’t spend your whole two hours just getting oriented. Even if this is your first evening on the island, you’ll get bearings fast: the layout, the back streets, and how locals move from bar to bar.

What $65 Really Buys You in 2 Hours

The price is $65 per person for a short, guided food crawl. That might sound simple until you add what’s included:

• a live guide (English)
• 2 tapas
• 2 drinks (local wine, beer, soft drink, water, or coffee)
• venue entrance fees
• skip-the-line style access via a separate entrance at stops

So you’re not just buying “tasting portions.” You’re paying for someone to steer you toward places you might not stumble into—especially the kind of traditional spots where staff conversations are part of the experience.

Also, this tour encourages you to order more if you want. The included parts are designed to get you started without turning the whole evening into a forced spending spree. If you love trying new things and want the guide’s help picking what to add, it’s good value. If you only want one drink and one bite, you may feel like you’re paying for guidance more than consumption.

How the Route Stays Local (and Changes With the Night)

One of the biggest reasons this tour works is the flexibility. The itinerary isn’t fixed like a bus schedule. It can change “depending on the scene” and your preferences, and you’re guided through special zones in the old district near the cathedral.

That matters because tapas culture is built on timing—when a bar is lively, when owners are around, and when staff are in the mood to chat. In small group settings, you can actually benefit from that. One theme in the feedback was that the guides took people to spots they wouldn’t have found on their own, and that the atmosphere felt authentic rather than staged.

The tour also emphasizes the kind of bars that aren’t trying to impress tourists. You’re going to places that feel lived-in. That can mean fewer English menu cards and more Spanish conversation. If you like people-watching and don’t mind a little language friction, it’s part of the charm.

Stop One: Local Tapas Where Spanish Conversations Happen

Your first tasting stop is the gateway to the tour’s tone: old-city bars, traditional flavors, and staff who are ready to talk—usually in Spanish only. The goal isn’t just to hand you food and move you along. You’re encouraged to chat with bar staff and learn a bit of context as you eat.

From the way guides are described, you’ll likely get:

• a quick orientation to what you’re eating
• the origin of dishes (and the story behind them)
• anecdotes about Las Palmas as you walk and taste

In reviews, people repeatedly praised the guide’s knowledge and pride in the city. That’s the difference between tasting and learning. You’ll start to recognize how Canarian cooking reflects local ingredients and old traditions, not just how a dish looks on a plate.

Practical tip: if you’re camera-happy, this is a strong moment to snap photos of the food and the street scene. The tour promises lively visuals, and the old quarter delivers.

Stop Two: Another Bar, Another Drink, and a Chance to Go Deeper

At the next venue, you’ll enjoy another tapas stop and another drink included in the tour price. In some cases, the tour ends at a bar a few floors up with a viewpoint over the old city. That kind of stop is a nice reset: you eat downstairs-level atmosphere, then you get a higher angle view before you head back out on your own.

This is also where you get the best chance to extend your night—because the guide typically recommends where to go after the tour ends. One reviewer called out getting dessert recommendations, and that’s exactly the kind of “local aftercare” that turns a two-hour tour into a real evening plan.

One consideration: you’re on a walking route with multiple stops. If you’re hungry, the pacing is great. If you’re prone to getting slowed down by crowds or stairs, the timing can feel tight. Still, it’s designed to keep things relaxed enough that you’re not rushing like you’re in a theme park.

The Guide Factor: Artemis, Alfredo, and Friendly City Storytelling

This experience leans hard on the guide. Names that came up often include Artemis and Alfredo. People described Artemis as warm, proud of the city, and able to explain both history and dish origins in an approachable way.

I like this style because it gives you two payoffs:

1) you learn something without it feeling like a lecture

2) you leave with a short list of places you can return to later

One review even described the experience as like an afternoon with an old friend—small-group, conversation-based, and comfortable. Another praised that the guide spoke a lot of languages, which matters in a place where staff may not switch to English right away.

Small but real note from a review: one guest said the guide didn’t always pause while talking, and they ended up walking behind sometimes, which made it harder to follow. That’s a “you” consideration—if you prefer to stop and listen at the same pace, ask the guide to slow down a bit when you’re receiving key info.

Small-Group and Private-Style Attention

This is where the tour separates itself from bigger, bus-style food crawls. The setup is described as very small group or effectively private. In at least one booking, it was just two people on the tour, and that personalization changes everything: you can ask questions, follow your interests, and get recommendations tailored to where you’re staying.

The tour is also described as “private direct guiding” and flexible, with the possibility to join in at different times depending on your plans. That flexibility is useful if your day gets thrown off—work travel, cruise schedules, or just the classic problem of dinner running late.

If you care about being treated like a human (not a group number), this format is the point.

Photos, Atmosphere, and What You’ll Actually Taste

The tour is designed around more than food. You’ll likely take photos of lively scenes and the food itself. And the itinerary is framed as “local and not so fancy”—the kind of place where you see locals come and go, not just the curated storefront energy you get around major tourist stops.

On the tasting side, the experience promises:

• local foods that feel real, not tourist versions
• at least 2 different places
• at each location, a matching drink (wine/beer/soft drink/water/coffee options)
• time to enjoy your drink and food at each stop

You can also order extra if something catches your eye. The included pieces should be enough to give you the tapas idea, but the guide’s suggestions help you avoid random second-guessing once you’re already in the rhythm.

Price and Logistics: Worth It for the Right Traveler

Let’s be honest: $65 for two hours is not a “cheap eats” deal. It’s closer to paying for guidance that saves you time and guesswork. If you’re the type who wants to taste, learn, and leave with a plan for the rest of the night, you’ll probably feel it’s worth it.

The tour also includes venue entrance fees, and it offers skip-the-line style entry through a separate entrance at venues. That little detail matters when you’re on a time window and don’t want to waste minutes waiting for access.

On the logistics side:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Language: English live guide
• Accessibility: wheelchair accessible
• Pickup: not included, but a pickup by guide/taxi can be arranged on request for a cash payment (€15 cash per each 3 or less people)

If you don’t want to think about transport, you’ll likely prefer using the nearby bus station and making the meet point work.

A Balanced Reality Check: Where This Tour Can Feel Imperfect

Overall feedback is very positive, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t flag the few trouble spots visible in the information.

1) Dietary handling may not be perfect. One guest reported that they were served ham even after stating they were vegetarian, and the guest felt that dietary requirements weren’t asked during booking. If diet restrictions matter to you, treat this as a must-confirm situation. Ask questions before you go, and double-check what’s served at each stop when ordering extra.

2) Pacing and guide positioning. If the guide is talking while walking and you prefer a more stationary explanation, you might need to keep up or ask for a pause so you can hear.

3) Occasional scheduling mix-ups can happen. One review described a long wait at the meet point because of a booking mix-up. That sounds uncommon, but it’s a reminder to arrive early—especially if you’re working with limited evening time.

Should You Book This Las Palmas Tapas and Drinks Tour?

Book it if you want a two-hour evening that combines tapas, drinks, and city storytelling with very small-group attention. It’s a great first-day plan if you like getting your bearings and then using the guide’s recommendations to extend your night on your own. It also fits solo travelers and couples who don’t want to navigate Spanish-only bar culture alone.

Skip it (or at least be extra careful) if:

• you have strict dietary restrictions and want guarantees
• you hate walking between stops
• you want a super structured, identical-every-night route

If you fall in the middle—curious, flexible, and hungry for real Old City flavor—this is the kind of tour that can turn a normal evening into a memory you actually taste.

FAQ

How long is the Las Palmas tapas and drinks tour?

The tour lasts 2 hours.

What’s included in the $65 per person price?

It includes the food tour, a guide, 2 tapas, and 2 drinks. Venue entrance fees are included as well.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at San Telmo Church, under the church’s only wooden balcony. It’s close to the Tourist Information Office and about a 2-minute walk from the Global San Telmo Island Bus Station.

What types of drinks are included?

The included drinks can be local wine, beer, soft drink, water, or coffee, chosen at the stops.

Is this a small group or private tour?

It’s described as almost private, with very small capacity. You may be in a small group or effectively have a private feel.

Is there a cancellation refund?

Yes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.