Caves of Drach

In the picturesque town of Porto Cristo on eastern Majorca we find one of Majorca’s more famous tourist attractions; The Caves of Drach. Spread over an area of over 2000 meters, you find a work of art formed by nature and the passage of time, with spectacular rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites, and one of the largest underground lakes in the world.

The cave was discovered in the Middle Ages, and is mentioned by Jules Verne in his book "Clovis Dartetor". The caves began to be charted in 1880, and in 1935 the Catalan engineer C Buigas introduced his lights installation to illuminate the insides of the caves. The most impressive part of the light installation you find at the vast underground lake, where play of light imitates a sunrise. There is something very special to experience a sunrise - in an underground cave!

The area where the caves are found is estimated to be dated until the Miocene period. The strange formations in the cave's interior have been formed by water slowly seeping through the cracks and stone, which is largely composed of calcium carbonate. The water has drained different types of minerals from the surface, and this allows visitors in the cave to appreciate a variety of shades of the interesting formations.

The formations that hang from the ceiling are called stalactites, and those who seem to grow from the ground up are called stalagmites. Stalactites grow about 1 inch per 100 years, so what you see here has really taken some time to build up. Therefore it is especially important that you respect the rules, and do not touch the fragile rock formations.

In the caves you find more strange shapes that look like columns, walls, trees and tree roots. It is truly a powerful and strange feeling to wander between these cave halls, in some places it is a full 25 meters to the roof of the cave, and enjoy the different shapes that light installation accentuates. It's like walking around in nature's own art museum.

But perhaps most impressive in this collection of cave halls is the great underground lake, Martel Lake. This is one of the largest underground lakes in the world, and it is about 170 meters long, and its depth varies from 4 up to 12 meters.

You sit down a bench in the big cave room, and the lights go down, and it gets so quiet you can hear a pin drop to the floor. Far away the tunes of a violin come hovering over the dark water of the underground lake, and then you will experience a breathtaking sunrise (inside the underground cave) accompanied to a live classical music concert. The lighting along with the music seems to create something magical, and is definitely a beautiful memory to take with you from Mallorca.

Good to know

Opening hours: 1 November to 15 March – Tours at 10:45, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:30. 16 March to 31 October – Tours at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00. Closed on December 25th and 1st of January.

Entrance: Adult 14,50€, children between 3-12 years old 7,50€, kids under 2 years enter free. Tickets are sold from 09:00, and you can buy tickets for the tours you prefer during the day. It is stated on the ticket issued at what hour the tour starts. You can also buy tickets online, if you pay with card and have a printer to print out the tickets.

Amenities: Free parking, gardens, bar, souvenir shop, toilets, picnic area, bus stop and ATM. The caves are located close to the nice town of Porto Cristo, where you find lots of nice bars, restaurants and small shops to stroll around in. There is also a great beach next to the harbour where you can have a refreshing swim during the warmer months.

How to get here: Click here for directions by car or by bus.

Nearest golfcourse: Golf Son Servera and Pula Golf.

If after reading this you feel like coming to Majorca to enjoy the island and to play golf, have a look at our golf packages, or make your own flexible golf package!

And, if you still don’t find what you are looking for, just send us an email to sales@mallorcagolftours.com or give us a call on +44 (0)20 359 838 71 and we will be happy to help you!

Play golf, enjoy Majorca!

Can’t get enough of Majorca? Follow us on Instagram to see more of Majorca!