On the eastern shore of Mallorca, just outside the quiet fishing village of Porto Cristo, one of the Mediterranean's most impressive natural spectacles unfolds below the surface. The Cuevas del Drach, or Dragon Caves, have drawn travellers from across Europe for more than a century, captivating them with a subterranean world of towering stalactites, crystal-clear pools and the unmistakable echo of live classical music drifting across an underground lake.
A Journey Through Geological Time
The cave system extends approximately 1,200 metres in length and reaches a depth of 25 metres below the surface. Geologists estimate that the primary chambers began forming during the Miocene epoch, roughly 11 to 5.3 million years ago, when tectonic shifts and the dissolution of limestone by mildly acidic rainwater gradually opened up the passages we walk through today.
Four interconnected caves make up the complex: the Black Cave (Cova Negra), the White Cave (Cova Blanca), the Cave of Luis Salvador (named after Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who explored the system in the 1880s) and the French Cave (Cova dels Francesos). Each chamber displays its own character, from narrow corridors lined with delicate soda-straw stalactites to vast halls where stalagmites rise like ancient pillars.
Lake Martel and the Concert Experience
The undeniable highlight of any visit is Lake Martel (Llac Martel), named after French speleologist Edouard-Alfred Martel, who conducted the first scientific survey of the caves in 1896. Spanning approximately 177 metres in length and 40 metres in width, it is one of the largest subterranean lakes in the world.
What sets Cuevas del Drach apart from most show caves is the daily classical music performance. As visitors gather along the darkened lakeshore, the lights dim further and small illuminated boats appear on the water carrying a string quartet. The acoustics of the cavern lend the music an ethereal, reverberant quality that is unlike any concert hall. Each performance lasts around ten minutes, after which visitors are offered the chance to cross the lake by boat themselves.
Practical Visiting Information
History of Exploration
Although local fishermen likely knew of the cave entrance for centuries, the modern history of Cuevas del Drach begins in 1878 when a team of Catalan speleologists carried out the first documented exploration. The caves gained international attention in 1896 thanks to Edouard-Alfred Martel, whose expedition mapped the system and identified Lake Martel.
Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, a passionate naturalist who had settled on Mallorca, sponsored further exploration and helped publicise the caves in his multi-volume work "Die Balearen." By the early twentieth century, wooden walkways and rudimentary lighting had been installed, and the Dragon Caves became one of the first "show caves" in Spain.
What to See Nearby
Porto Cristo itself is worth a stroll before or after your cave visit. The harbour front offers a selection of seafood restaurants, and the short walk to the lighthouse provides panoramic views along the coast. Nearby, the Cuevas del Hams (Fishhook Caves) offer an alternative underground experience with a virtual show and a smaller subterranean lake.
For those spending a full day in the area, the Mondrag Natural Park lies about 15 minutes south by car and features two beautiful cove beaches, Cala Mondrag and S'Amarador, surrounded by protected pine forest.