Cala gran dragon cave bus. Review of a trip to the Dragon Caves in Mallorca. How much does a ticket to the Coves del Drac cost?

05/30/12, Wednesday , 5th day on the island, 3rd by car. Cave day. The island has several beautiful (judging by the description) caves that are accessible to tourists. We go to the opposite end of the island to get acquainted with a couple of them.

10.45. We leave the hotel. This time we finally manage to go around Palma along the ring road! 🙂

11.40. We drove 67 km in a day. We stop in Petra (it’s just interesting to look at the town).

We fill up the car and buy some very tasty buns for lunch at the store.

13.05. We drove 92 km in a day. Dragon Caves (Coves del Drach). www.cuevasdeldrach.com

Ticket price 12E per person. Sessions every hour, but at the next one at 13.00 there are none (apparently, lunch break). We have to wait for the next one (at 14.00). In the meantime, you can have a snack with the purchased buns and fruit that we were offered at our hotel.

By 14:00 we approach the entrance to the cave, a huge crowd of people has accumulated there (I think more than 1000 people). Soon they begin to let you in through a narrow entrance, into which no more than 2 people can fit side by side. The whole procedure takes 15-20 minutes. Tourist buses are constantly arriving, and people, getting out of them, disappear into the darkness of the cave. We can only sit on a bench and wonder what kind of huge dungeon this is and how can so many people be inside?

Well, everyone is welcome, and we are among the last to enter. The temperature inside was quite comfortable (about +18C), I didn’t have to wear a jacket. The whole mass of people passes inside along fairly narrow paths. To be honest, when we walked at the end, I somehow didn’t think about the terrible number of people ahead. We walked quite leisurely, looking at the surrounding beauty with admiration. Stalactites and stalagmites, all in different color illumination. We moved from one underground hall to another. At times, underground rivers and streams flowed below. With blue lighting they looked amazingly beautiful and transparent. Photography is prohibited here. But, nevertheless, we managed to take a few shots.

For about 15-20 minutes we moved deeper into the cave. And as a result, they reached a huge space underground, where all the huge number of people who came here were completely calm. This cavernous hall had numerous rows of seats for the public. They were located at an angle so that it was convenient to observe the action taking place from all places. When we arrived, almost all the seats were already taken. But we managed to move the people a little and ended up almost on the ground. Instead of a stage, there was a surface of water in front of us, around there were intricate columns of stalactites and stalagmites, and they were high above instead of a theatrical chandelier.

The lights were turned off and in the complete darkness in the distance we heard the sounds of classical music. Gradually, some movement became noticeable on the water surface, and three boats floated out from under the stone arch, beautifully illuminated on the sides. Several musicians sat in them and played various musical instruments. There was silence in the hall; the boats moved with oars, but completely silently. And only music and lights on the boats filled the entire space.

All 3 boats slowly sailed past us and disappeared into the darkness on the opposite side. Probably all this should have produced an unprecedented effect on the public. Perhaps... But somehow it didn’t touch us. After some time, the lights in the underground hall were turned on, and people were invited to leave. Two options were offered: walk back or take a short boat ride around the lake, and then, again, walk. We, of course, rushed to the pier, where we boarded the boats and even managed to take a place in the first of them. Riding on an underground lake was the most interesting, but, unfortunately, it ended very quickly. After swimming about 70 meters, we were put ashore, and then with the whole crowd we continued on foot to the exit.

15.05. We are going to other caves. More precisely, into the same “dragon”, only the entrance to it is from the opposite side.

15.15. Arriving at Hams Caves. It's also next to Porto Cristo. The place is not so popular, there are much fewer tourists here. But admission prices even higher: 16E per person. We are a group of only (!) 20 people. After the previous cave, such a number of people is very pleasing. Everything around is beautiful, there are a lot of trees, some artificial streams are running, birds are singing. Let's go inside. We are placed in a small cinema hall and shown a film about some explorer who flew in a hot air balloon. “What is all this for?” - we ask ourselves a question. Apparently, to justify the greatly inflated price of the entrance ticket.

After this we are led into a cave. This excursion is accompanied by a short story from the guide in different languages ​​about the place where we found ourselves: how the cave was formed, its size, what the various halls are called, to whom they are dedicated. The cave is also interesting, a little different from the “dragon” one, it has its own unique stalactites and stalagmites. And the main thing is that there are not many people inside.

Walking through the halls, we came to a small bay. A similar musical show begins here, only much weaker. There is only one boat going, and even then with non-living characters. Only the boatman with the oars is real. Music comes from the speakers. But various pictures appear on the stone walls, and some kind of action takes place. We stand watching all this.

All these external effects do not make an impression. The most beautiful thing is, of course, the cave itself. And with all the other additions in the form of films and shows, apparently the owners are trying to justify the very high prices for entrance tickets.

16.45. We are returning home.

17.00. We drove 111 km in a day. Passing Manacor, we decide to visit the local Factory "Majorica", where you can buy real local pearl and all kinds of decorations made from it. Having examined 2 floors of jewelry, we were mainly surprised only by the prices. Although there were a lot of beautiful decorations, we were not in the mood for such serious expenses. But there they showed us for free how artificial pearls are made. Very interesting.

Next to the exhibition hall there is a small park with dinosaurs. Also a kind of attraction. Not a bad end to a day dedicated to dragons. 🙂

17.40. Now you can go home. On the way, languishing in the heat, we realize that the air conditioner in the car practically does not work for cooling: only for blowing warm air. We decide that we can’t live like this, we need to contact the rental office to have the breakdown fixed. Having reached Magaluf, we find where the central office of Torrenova is located, where we rented a car, and explain the situation. We are sent to the outskirts of the city to a huge parking lot. There are many cars from this rental company there. Basically, they are all similar to ours, only the colors are different. There they offer us to change the car without any problems. We agree, of course.

We now own a white Fiat Panda. Number 6917 GFF. Mileage 38278 km.

19.00. Result of the day: 184 km.

An excursion to the Dragon Caves in Mallorca will be a highlight for any traveler. An impressive underground route with spectacularly illuminated natural halls, a large lake in a cave, a mini-concert of musicians sailing on boats on the lake - all this is included in a well-designed excursion program for visiting the largest karst cave on the island.

It should be noted that there are many karst cavities in Mallorca. The island is literally dotted with underground passages. But only a few of them can be visited, and the Dragon Caves (Cuevas del Drach) are the most spectacular.

Brief description of the Dragon Caves

The caves in the east of the island were known back in the Middle Ages and were marked on the map starting in 1338. But their thorough study began in the 1880s. The first person to explore the caves in Mallorca was the German speleologist M.F.Wil. He also drew up the first plan of the underground passages and halls. The baton was picked up by the French speleologist E.A. Martel, who discovered a cave with a lake in the vicinity of the town and supplemented the plan of underground routes.

The caves, covered with stalactites and stalagmites growing towards them, presented such an interesting sight that in 1922-35. laid out a route for visitors and invited Spanish engineer Carl Buigas to create spectacular lighting.

Currently, a well-equipped excursion route has a length of 1200 m. The height difference between the upper passages and the lowest places reaches 25 m. The caves have a humid microclimate, but the temperature is quite acceptable - 17-21 degrees.

Excursion to Cuevas del Drach

It takes about an hour to complete the route through the Dragon Caves. The tour begins with a narrow passage, where visitors are immediately introduced to all the prohibitions. You can take photographs in the caves only without using a flash, as indicated at the entrance.

The underground road is very colorful. You need to be a very sophisticated traveler to remain indifferent to the multi-colored draperies formed by the seepage of various minerals, to the “forest of icicles” hanging above your head, to the figured stalagmites, to the emerald water of deep lakes.

The highlight of the tour is arrival at Lake Martel, where visitors sit in a small makeshift amphitheater and listen to a 10-minute concert by musicians.

The concert in the Dragon Caves is special in that the musicians and their instruments sit on boats. The light in the cave is dimmed, and the boats, illuminated along the contour, float out to the audience in the darkness. Classical music sounds under the high arches of the cave. The ensemble of musicians is located on three boats, and what is incredibly amazing is that the central one has a piano.

It is probably difficult to imagine what the size of the lake is, where there is enough space for such a performance? Lake Martel has a serious length - 170 m. In some places its depth is 12 m. After the concert, you can take a 2-minute boat ride on the lake. After which the tourists continue their journey, but gradually leading to the exit.

The cost of the excursion to the Dragon Caves is 14.5 €. But the ticket price can be reduced due to the bonus that some hotels provide (check with your hotel if they have such a service for their guests).

How to get to the caves from the main resorts of Mallorca

Most of the holidaymakers in Mallorca are concentrated around two popular resorts - Palma de Mallorca and. These cities are associated with the town of Porto Cristo. And if at the bus stop you see information that a certain route goes to this resort town, feel free to go on an excursion yourself.

Buses not only arrive in the center of Porto Cristo, but also continue their route to the outskirts - to the entrance to the Dragon Caves.

The photo shows the access platform from which you descend directly into the cave. Visitors first buy an entrance ticket at the ticket office, then walk through the territory of the reserve to this site. An independent trip to the main natural attraction of Mallorca is much cheaper than an excursion from travel agencies.

Dragon Caves on the map of Mallorca

In Spanish Mallorca, near the town of Porto Cristo, there is the most beautiful place on earth - Dragon Caves. It must be said that Mallorca itself is a paradise for holiday lovers. It contains the most interesting historical and architectural monuments against the backdrop of the beautiful nature of the Mediterranean.

Why are the caves called Drakensberg? The name comes from ancient times. A long time ago it was believed that the entrance to the cave was the mouth of a dragon. And inside are stored the countless riches that he accumulated throughout his life.

There really are riches inside, but these riches are of natural origin. One of the most beautiful places of these Dragon Caves is Lake Martel with the purest transparent water. It should be noted that this is the largest underground lake in the world, and it got its name from the speleologist Martel, who discovered these very caves at the end of the 19th century. Interesting events for tourists are regularly held on the lake: for example, a musical orchestra often performs, whose members sail in boats on the lake. As already mentioned, the water here is the purest, so it creates the illusion that the boats are floating in the air. Special lighting, which was organized here for the convenience of tourists, also plays a big role in the overall impression.

IN Dragon Caves There is another spectacle associated with the lake - this is an imitation of the rising of a small sun. The luminary begins to rise from the very bottom of the lake and gradually flares up brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire cave.

In addition to Lake Martel in Dragon Caves there are 6 more smaller reservoirs. In general, the tourist route through the caves is quite long: it is 1700 meters. As already mentioned, the entire path is specially illuminated for travelers. Lovers of romance will find many interesting and beautiful places here: “Black Lake”, “Waterfall”, “Great Cave”, as well as the Cave of Louis Salvador.

Our second week in Mallorca continued with an independent trip to Porto Cristo, to the Dragon Caves (Cuevas Drach). In the morning, the weather at the Arenal resort of Mallorca did not go well; clouds rolled in. Sitting in a hotel due to bad weather is not for us, so we decided to go to the Dragon Caves. Since we are traveling around Mallorca on our own, we travel around the cities using public transport. Let me remind you that you can get from Arenal to any other cities of Mallorca from the bus station, which is located in Palma de Mallorca (Palma) or from the bus stop, which is located near our hotel Mediodia***. I have already written about this, and this text will contain my review of the trip to the Dragon Caves of Mallorca.

To Palma 1.5 euros, to Porto Cristo, where the Dragon Caves are located nearby - 8.55 euros. Round trip for one Arenal - Palma - Dragon Caves - Palma - Arenal, it turns out to be 20.10 euros. It's a decent drive - 1 hour 15 minutes. We took bus number L 412. Just note that not all buses stop at the Dragon Caves.

Now, if I paid 90 euros and went with an excursion, I would be very upset, since for me an excursion to the Dragon Caves should not cost that much. What you will see there: stalactites, stalactites, more stalactites hanging everywhere for a kilometer, this is the length of the tour. In reality, the Dragon Caves are much larger. It’s just that not all of it is open to the public: somewhere it’s dangerous, somewhere there’s no lighting. The depth of the Dragon Caves is about 25 meters, and the length is about 2.5 km.

The tour to the Dragon Caves lasts almost an hour. Wear non-slippery shoes, as there is some digging in some places. Yes, during the excursion you will also see Lake Martel, named after its discoverer.

They say that this is one of the largest underground lakes, just over a kilometer long. You will learn that the Dragon Caves were known in the Middle Ages, but they began to be studied only in the 19th century, and in 1896 the Dragon Caves were discovered by Edouard Martel. And in the 20th century, work began to be carried out for tourist access: they laid paths and made lighting.

It is due to the illumination that the stalactites hang beautifully. They also talk about medieval myths and the treasure of the Knights Templar. Allegedly, the jewels have not yet been found and most likely they are overgrown with stalactites, because more than 600 years have passed, and in 100 years stalactites grow by about 1 cm.

A thirty-minute walk through the Dragon Caves ends with a concert. A kind of theater hall is organized here: instead of comfortable chairs there are benches, and the stage is Lake Martel. Here, in the dark, a mini-orchestra floats out on a boat and the closer they are to the audience, the louder the music. They play classical music on two violins, a harpsichord and a cello, four works by Chopin, Martini, Caballero and Offenbach. The boat makes two circles around the lake. It is prohibited to take photographs during the concert, as the action takes place in the dark, only the lake is illuminated. Perhaps the concert is the most touching and exciting moment of the excursion to the Dragon Caves.

But, for me, it’s worth traveling so far for this concert only if you get completely bored at the resort of Mallorca. But again, this is my subjective opinion, I just don’t like studying stalactites for 30 minutes. To me they are the same. I went to see the Dragon Caves after reading reviews. Now, having been there, I can conclude that the people who wrote reviews either have not been to the Dragon Caves, or are simply lovers of stalactites. This will be my review of the trip to the Dragon Caves of Mallorca.

After the concert, you can take a boat ride on the lake, the queue of people is huge, so at the very beginning of the concert, take seats closer to the stage, that is, to Lake Martel.

We returned back to Arenal by the same route through Palma.

The Dragon Caves in Mallorca are a system of underground passages described in the 19th century by speleologist Martel. According to ancient legend, they were nothing more than the mouth of a dragon guarding treasures. The length of the tourist route through the caves is 1700 m; while traveling through the underground passages, visitors can see the “Waterfall”, “Black Lake”, the Great Cave and the Cave of Louis Salvador. All these cavities amaze with the variety of stalagmites and stalactites that form bizarre figures and openwork patterns.

In the Dragon Caves in Mallorca there is the largest underground lake in Europe, its length reaches 177 m, width - 40 m, depth - 5-8 m. During the excursion, visitors to the caves have the opportunity to listen to a short concert performed by a chamber quartet. Musicians sail across the lake on boats, while the action unfolds in front of the audience to the sounds of music by Chopin and Offenbach: skillful lighting imitates the sunrise from the clear waters of the cave. There is a souvenir shop and parking near the caves.

Dragon Caves on the map

Type: Caves Address: Ctra Cuevas, s/n, 07680 Porto Cristo, Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.