On the eastern coast of Mallorca, just outside the fishing town of Porto Cristo, four interconnected caves descend 25 meters below the surface into a world of dramatic rock formations and still, dark water. The Cuevas del Drach, or Dragon Caves, are the most visited natural attraction in the Balearic Islands, drawing over a million visitors each year. The highlight of every visit is the classical music concert performed on illuminated boats floating across Lake Martel, one of the largest underground lakes in the world.
A Brief History
References to the caves appear in documents dating back to the Middle Ages. The first systematic exploration was conducted by French speleologist Edouard-Alfred Martel in 1896, who documented the extent of the cave system and discovered the underground lake that now bears his name. Martel was commissioned by Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who had a deep interest in the natural history of Mallorca and funded numerous scientific expeditions across the island.
The caves were opened to the public in the early twentieth century, and by mid-century, the classical music concerts on the lake had become a defining feature of the visitor experience. The tradition continues today, with multiple performances daily during the tourist season. The novelist Jules Verne is said to have been inspired by descriptions of the caves when writing his 1896 novel Clovis Dardentor.
The Four Caves
The system consists of four connected caves: the Black Cave (Cueva Negra), the White Cave (Cueva Blanca), the Cave of Luis Salvador, and the Cave of the French. Together, they extend approximately 4 kilometers in length, though the visitor route covers about 1.2 kilometers.
The path winds through narrow passages and opens into vast chambers decorated with formations shaped over millions of years. Stalactites descend from the ceilings in clusters and curtains, while stalagmites rise from the floor in columns that sometimes reach several meters in height. The mineral-rich water that created these formations continues to drip throughout the caves, meaning the landscape is still slowly evolving.
Lake Martel
The undisputed centerpiece of the cave system is Lake Martel, an underground body of water approximately 115 meters long and 30 meters wide. The lake occupies the deepest section of the caves and is connected to the Mediterranean Sea, which means its water level fluctuates slightly with the tides.
Visitors gather on tiered seating carved into the rock above the lake. The lights dim, and musicians in small rowboats glide out onto the water, performing classical pieces while the illumination shifts to highlight different sections of the cave walls and ceiling. The acoustics are remarkable, the sound bouncing off the rock surfaces and water in ways that concert halls spend fortunes trying to replicate.
After the concert, visitors have the option of crossing the lake by boat or walking around its perimeter to reach the exit. Taking the boat is the better choice. Being at water level provides a completely different perspective on the scale of the chamber.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
- The caves are open daily, with guided tours departing approximately every 30 minutes. The full visit takes about one hour.
- Inside temperature stays around 21 degrees Celsius with high humidity. A light layer is recommended even in summer.
- Arrive early to avoid the longest queues, particularly between June and September.
- The route involves some stairs and uneven surfaces, but the path is generally well maintained and accessible for most visitors.
- Photography is permitted during the walk but not during the concert performance.
- Check the official Cuevas del Drach website for current schedules and pricing.
Geology of the Cave System
The Cuevas del Drach formed through the dissolution of Miocene-age limestone by slightly acidic groundwater over a period of approximately 5 to 10 million years. The cave system lies within a karst landscape typical of eastern Mallorca, where soluble bedrock has been eroded into a complex network of underground passages, sinkholes, and springs.
The connection to the sea is particularly significant. As Mediterranean sea levels rose and fell during successive ice ages, the caves were alternately flooded and drained. This cyclical process contributed to the variety of formations visible today, as different water chemistry at different periods produced distinct types of mineral deposits.
Some of the formations display horizontal rings or tide marks, visible evidence of past water levels. These rings provide geologists with a natural record of sea level changes over thousands of years, contributing to our understanding of Mediterranean climate history.
Beyond the Caves: Porto Cristo
The town of Porto Cristo itself is worth spending time in before or after your cave visit. The small harbor is lined with restaurants serving fresh seafood, and the adjacent beach provides a pleasant spot for swimming. The town is considerably quieter than Mallorca's more developed resort areas, retaining much of the character of a traditional Mallorcan fishing village.
For those interested in more underground exploration, the nearby Coves dels Hams (Hook Caves) offer a smaller but still impressive alternative, with their own underground lake and distinctive hook-shaped stalactites.
Getting There
Porto Cristo is located on the east coast of Mallorca, approximately 65 kilometers from the capital Palma. The drive takes about an hour via the Ma-15 motorway. Public buses connect Palma with Porto Cristo, with several departures daily. Many visitors combine a cave trip with a day exploring the eastern coast, which includes several attractive coves and the fortified town of Arta.
The nearest airport is Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), one of the busiest airports in Spain, with direct flights from most European capitals.