Visit Drach Caves in Majorca: tickets, prices, schedules

Do you spend your holiday in the Balearic Islands? During your stay in the archipelago, take the time to visit the Drach Caves in Majorca!

Located on the eastern coast of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands in Spain, the Drach Caves are one of the main tourist attractions of the island. Composed of four caves and Martel Lake, one of the largest underground lakes in Europe, they are carving visitors by the large number of rock formations that compose them and by the particularities of the visit, which you will discover in this article.

Visit the city of Porto Cristo, in the commune of Manacor, to admire the sculptural beauty of this place out of time. Visiting the Drach Caves will be a freshness parenthesis welcome during your holiday in the Balearic Islands. So here's all you need to know about one of the must-sees in the region.

History of Drach Caves in Majorca

The Drach Caves were already known in the Middle Ages: in 1338 we find the very first written mention of the site in a message from Rover de Rovenach, then governor of the island, to the mayor of Manacor. In 1632, the book History of the reign of Majorca de Dometo evokes for the first time the name of Drach.

We know that in the 18th and 19th centuries the caves were regularly visited. In 1880, the cartographer and speleologist M. F. Will first drew a map of the place. Fifteen years later, sponsored by the Archduke of Austria Louis-Salvador of Hasbourg-Lorraine, the explorer Edouard-Alfred Martel discovers the last cavities of the Drach Caves, and in particular the immense underground lake that bears its name today.

Between 1922 and 1935 the caves were built for the visits. During the work, new access is opened, the path is designed and stairs to access the depths of the caves are built. In particular, the electric lighting is thought by engineer M. Buigas, who in addition to lighting the caves with brio, designs the sunrise show on the lake, which visitors can still admire today. As early as 1935, the tour included the Martel Lake Concert.

But where do the Drach Caves come from? Formed from carbonate rocks, which have between 11 and 5.3 million years, the caves date from the Superior Miocene. The climate of the Mediterranean is then warmer. The rocks composed of limestone dissolve easily by the action of the water, resulting in the formation of cavities: the rooms and the Lac des Grottes du Drach form. The stalactites cover the ceiling, resulting in the creation of stalagmites, and sometimes both join to create columns. The most spectacular formations are built over the years. It is this colossal work of nature that visitors can admire today.

What to see and do at the Drach Caves?

The visit of the Drach Caves lasts One hour and extends over 1,200 metres, allowing visitors to access the Cave Louis Salvador, the Cave Blanche, the Cave Noire and the Cave des Français. It includes a real classical music concert and one ballad in boat on Martel Lake – 170 meters long and between 4 and 12 meters deep. Visitors also attend the sunrise show on the lake, designed in 1935.

The entrance overlooks the last cave that was discovered in 1896: the Louis-Salvador cave . From the beginning of the visit, the atmosphere is marked by the humidity of the room. The descent then begins, reaching 25 meters below the surface at the deepest point. At the bottom of the staircase, visitors will be able to wonder in front of the Bains of Diana and their turquoise water that gives a fairytale atmosphere instead. Then come the small lake and curious formations, such as Le Drapeau or a rocky canvas colored by different minerals. Here the ceiling is lined with several thousand stalactites, which win a centimetre each year.

Visitors then arrive in another room and can admire the Castle in Ruine and Mont Enneigé (whose color is due to calcium carbonate present in the rock).

The Martel Lake Concert is then given in an amphitheatre near the lake. A quartet (two violins, a cello and a harmonium) makes the room vibrate for 10 minutes. At the end of the concert, visitors can decide to cross the lake by boat – however, there are few boats, the first arrivals are served, or then borrow the bridge. They then arrive at the French Cave , characterized by its freshness.

The visit is at its end: the ascent to the surface allows to appreciate the height of the caves, as well as many spectacular formations, before leading to the exit.

How do I go to Drach Caves in Majorca?

From Porto Cristo

The Drach Caves are located in Porto Cristo On the eastern coast of Majorca. From the center of the city, you can walk to the caves by counting about 20 minutes of ride, or take the bus. The following lines serve Coves Drac, located near the site: 412, 416, 441, 447, 448 and 454.

From another city of Mallorca

To get to Porto Cristo from Palma de Mallorca, there are several options available:

• The bus : line 412 makes a direct journey from Palma to Porto Cristo. Count an hour and a quarter. The bus passes every four hours, every day of the week and will cost you between 8 and 12€;
• Carpooling: you will find many carpools between Palma and Porto Cristo. This is the most economical solution: prices usually reach €5;
• Taxi: count about 50 €;
• The car : if you have a car, it will take about 50 minutes to go to Porto Cristo.

Schedules & Rates of Drach Caves in Mallorca

HORARI

To visit the Drach Caves, you must visit the site at fixed times; the doors then open to allow a limited number of visitors for an hour. We recommend you book your tickets in advance.

• 1er November to March 10: Doors open at 10.45 a.m., 12.00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• From 11 March to 31 October: the doors open at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00.
• Closed from 25 December to 1er January.

Council : present 10 to 15 minutes before the time indicated at the door of the cave, which is 200 meters from the ticket office. Automatic windows are open every day from 9 hours.

RATES

Online ticket rates are slightly lower.

Online rates

• Adult (from 13 years old) : 15 €
• Children (3-12 years old): 8 €
• Baby (less than 3 years old): Free

Rates at the Guichet

• Adult (from 13 years old) : 16 €
• Children (3-12 years old): 9 €
• Baby (less than 3 years old): Free