Drachenhöhlen Mallorca

One cave, three names

Drachenhöhlen is the German name for the same caves that Spanish maps call Cuevas del Drach and Catalan sources call Coves del Drac. All of them mean the Dragon Caves. They lie near Porto Cristo, in the municipality of Manacor, on Mallorca's east coast. German Wikipedia gives the walkable system as 1,700 metres, while the cave describes a visitor route of about 1,200 metres. The two figures measure different things, so expect to see both.

The German thread in the story

German speakers have a stake in the caves' history. The German officer and entomologist Friedrich Will drew the first known map in 1880. He worked at the invitation of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who wrote the multi-volume Die Balearen in German, a survey of the islands' nature and customs. When the French explorer Édouard-Alfred Martel explored the caves in 1896, he did so under the Archduke's protection, and he gave his name to the lake.

German on the Palma excursion

The Palma excursion on this site lists a live guide in Spanish, English, German and French. The guide travels with the group on the coach. Inside, the visit is self-guided, so the guide's German helps on the road and around the entrance. The excursion with resort pickup lists German too, along with Spanish, English, French and Italian. Check the languages shown on the booking page when you choose the date.

The route and the concert

The route is about 1,200 metres through galleries of stalactites and stalagmites, at 17 to 21 °C. It ends at Lake Martel, where a quartet of cello, harpsichord and two violins plays four works of classical music in about ten minutes. Silence is required, and photos and video are not allowed during the music. Afterwards you cross the lake by boat or on foot over the bridge.

The pearl stop

Both excursions on this site include time at a pearl exhibition or factory near the caves. Manacor, the municipality that Porto Cristo belongs to, is the centre of Mallorca's pearl industry, according to Wikipedia. Majorica, the best-known maker, was founded in 1890 in Barcelona and is now based on Mallorca. Its pearls are not natural or cultured pearls but imitation ones: solid balls coated with a mixture partly made from fish scales. Knowing that before you walk in lets you enjoy the demonstration without expecting something else. On the Palma excursion the pearl shop visit is optional.

Tickets, in short

The cave sells timed tickets online, in its app and at the ticket office, and online is cheaper. Changes and refunds are not accepted. The excursions on this site include the coach and carry free cancellation until 24 hours before they start. If you stay in Palma and have no car, the Palma excursion is the direct choice. In a southern resort, the excursion with resort pickup saves the trip into Palma.

Read next: Cuevas del Drach tickets

Practical points

Wear shoes with grip and bring a light layer. Nothing to eat or drink inside, no tripods or selfie sticks, and children under 12 must stay with an adult. The route has steps, about 320 of them on the excursion's reckoning, so wheelchairs and buggies cannot enter. A baby carrier is fine. Toilets are at the entrance and exit only. Pets are not admitted, except guide dogs.

Who this isn't for

Steps and tight spaces may put you off: the cave does not recommend the visit for people with heart conditions or claustrophobia. And if you expect a guided tour inside, know that the cave route is walked in groups without a personal guide. The guide on the excursion looks after the transfer and the arrival. Anyone who is nervous in a crowd should know that groups gather near the lake.