How to Get to Caves of Drach — Address, Parking, and Every Route In

The Caves of Drach are in Porto Cristo on Mallorca’s east coast — not in or near Palma, and not close to most of the island’s largest resorts. Getting there takes planning wherever you are staying.

Whichever resort you are in, this page is the reference point: the exact address, the coordinates, the parking situation, every mode of transport, and the one wayfinding mistake that catches out more visitors here than anything else. For step-by-step advice from a specific starting point, the dedicated origin guides are linked throughout and again at the end.

Exact Address, Coordinates and What to Search For

Address: Ctra. de les Coves s/n, 07680 Porto Cristo, Manacor, Mallorca Phone: +34 971 820 753 GPS coordinates: 39° 32’ 7.72" N, 3° 19’ 49" E (decimal: 39.5355, 3.3303)

Search “Cuevas del Drach” or “Coves del Drac” by name in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze. Do not search generically for “caves Porto Cristo” — the exact name reliably returns the correct location, and the generic search does not. More on why that matters two sections down.

Porto Cristo is a small fishing village and resort town roughly midway along Mallorca’s east coast, in the municipality of Manacor. It is not on the island’s rail network, and it is not walkable from any major resort other than itself.

How Far the Caves Are From Everywhere

📄 Detailed origin guides: From Palma · From Alcúdia · From Cala Millor

The Wrong-Cave Problem — Read This Before You Set Off

Porto Cristo has two separate cave attractions: the Caves of Drach, and the Coves dels Hams, about 1.5–2 km away on the same approach road. They are under different ownership, offer completely different experiences, and are frequently confused.

This is not a rare mix-up. Hams sits directly on the road most visitors drive in on, advertises itself with large roadside signage, and simply says “Caves” — easy to mistake for your destination if you are not looking for the exact name.

How to avoid it: navigate to “Cuevas del Drach” or “Coves del Drac” specifically, not a generic search for caves near Porto Cristo. And if you arrive somewhere that does not have a large lake and a boat crossing as its centrepiece, you are in the wrong place.

The two sites are close enough that visiting both in one trip is entirely realistic — a 4–5 minute drive, or a 20–25 minute walk apart.

📄 Coves dels Hams vs Caves of Drach — the full comparison →

Other Cave Tours and East Coast Experiences Worth Knowing About

Most visitors solve every logistical question on this page by letting somebody else drive. Coaches serving the Caves of Drach at Porto Cristo pick up from Palma, Alcúdia, Cala Millor, Cala d’Or and Mallorca’s north coast resorts, and the same departure points run full-day itineraries taking in the Coves dels Hams, the Lake Martel concert, the Coves d’Artà at Canyamel, and the pearl workshops at Manacor. Below are the experiences visitors planning this route most often look at alongside it.

Option 1: Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup

The majority of visitors arrive by guided coach with hotel pickup, and for good reason. The pickup absorbs every logistical problem on this page: transport from your accommodation, cave entry, timed-session management, the concert and boat ride, and the return leg. You navigate nothing and park nowhere.

Tours depart from pickup points throughout each resort area. Most operators collect from a central point in each town — typically outside a large hotel, or at the resort’s main bus stop — rather than door to door. Your specific pickup point is confirmed at booking.

Which one, by where you are staying:

• Anywhere across southern Mallorca — Mallorca: Caves of Drach Day Trip & Optional Caves of Hams, from €56, 4.3 stars across 2,974 reviews. The most-reviewed option on this site, with the widest pickup net and the Coves dels Hams available as an add-on to the same day. Full breakdown.
• Palma and the bay resorts — Palma: Caves of Drach Entrance, Music Concert, and Boat Trip, from €54, 4.3 stars across 1,425 reviews. Straight out to Porto Cristo and straight back in half a day, with no commercial stops on the return. Full breakdown.
• Alcúdia and the north — Alcudia: Caves of Drach Tour from the North with Boat Trip, from €54, 4.3 stars across 591 reviews. Built around north-coast pickups rather than adding an hour onto a Palma coach. Full breakdown.
• The east coast resorts — Mallorca: Ticket for Caves of Drach with Pickup Service, from €59, 4.1 stars across 726 reviews. A half-day east coast run with pickup, cave entry, the concert and the crossing.

A note on the pearl-factory itineraries. Several coach tours build in a stop at a Manacor pearl workshop on the way back — Mallorca: Drach Caves, Lake Martel, and Pearls Half Day Trip is the main one, from €59. It is a genuine option and the pearl stop is popular with some visitors, but at 3.9 stars across 311 reviews it sits noticeably below the tours above, with the shopping stop the most common complaint. Book it because you want the pearl workshop, not because it is cheaper — it is not.

See every Caves of Drach tour compared →

Option 2: Self-Drive

If you have a hire car, this is the most flexible option by a distance, and the easiest way to make the 10:00 first visit of the day.

From Palma: the Ma-15 motorway east toward Manacor, then the Ma-4014 into Porto Cristo. About 65 km, 55–65 minutes in normal traffic. In July and August, add 10–15 minutes for resort traffic around Manacor.

From Alcúdia and the north: across the interior via Santa Margalida, Petra and Manacor, then the Ma-4020 east into Porto Cristo. Around 55 km and 50–56 minutes, all on wide, well-surfaced road with no narrow lanes.

From Cala Millor and the east coast: about 10 km south via the Ma-4023 and Ma-4014 — 10 to 15 minutes. This is the closest base on the island for independent visitors.

Navigation: every major mapping app routes directly to “Coves del Drac” as a named destination. Do not navigate to Porto Cristo centre and then improvise — signage for the caves diverges from the town-centre approach.

Parking

Free. No barrier, no ticket machine, no charge of any kind.

The car park is large — several hundred spaces — with separate provision for cars, coaches, motorbikes and bicycles, plus reserved bays for reduced-mobility visitors. Attendants direct traffic during busy periods.

What there is not: any EV charging point, and no overnight parking. The site closes at night.

Security: do not leave valuables visible in the car. Standard advice anywhere, but worth repeating given how long you will be away from the vehicle.

From the car park to the entrance: about 200 metres along a garden path with a flight of steps and a handrail. Arrive around 15 minutes before your booked time.

Option 3: Public Bus

Mallorca’s TIB network reaches the caves in season, and the stops you want are called “Coves del Drac 1” and “Coves del Drac 2” — at the caves, not in the town. These direct seasonal lines stopped there in 2026:

• Line 424 — Cala Rajada–Porto Cristo, daily from 27 March to 31 October 2026.
• Line 425 — Cala Bona–Porto Cristo, daily from 15 May to 16 October 2026.
• Line 427 — Cala Mendia–Porto Cristo, daily from 27 March to 31 October 2026.
• Line 428 — Cala d’Or–Porto Cristo, daily from 24 April to 31 October 2026.
• Line A42 — the Palma Airport bus, serving Porto Cristo town (not the caves) from 27 March to 31 October 2026.
• Winter — none of TIB’s 2026 timetables shows a winter bus to the caves; check the current TIB timetable for your date.

Manacor is the nearest town on the rail network — around 55 minutes by train from Palma; check the current TIB timetable for any connecting bus onward to Porto Cristo.

Paying: tap a contactless bank card as you board and again when you alight. One card can cover several people travelling together. If you are unsure of your stop, tell the driver you want “Coves del Drac 2.”

The honest limitations:

• All of these lines are seasonal, and none of TIB’s 2026 timetables shows a winter bus to the caves.
• Return timing has to work with both the cave session schedule and the bus timetable. Missing the last bus is a real risk.
• Total round trip from Palma by bus is typically 4–5 hours against 2–2.5 hours by tour or car.
• From Alcúdia and the north there is no direct service at all — every routing needs at least one change and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours each way.

Public bus works well from the east coast resorts and is workable from Palma if you are travelling light and building the day around transport times. From the north, take a coach excursion instead.

📄 Full public transport detail from Palma → · from Cala Millor →

Option 4: Taxi or Private Transfer

Straightforward and direct, with a taxi rank on site for the return journey. A taxi from Palma runs roughly €80–100 one way; from Cala Millor or the east coast resorts, considerably less at around €25–40. Agree the fare before setting off if the meter is not running.

Pre-booked private transfers offer fixed-price round trips that include waiting time at the caves. For a group of three or four the per-head cost becomes competitive with individual excursion tickets, and — unlike any coach — a transfer can get you there for the first session of the day.

Taxis in Porto Cristo itself are limited. If you plan to taxi back from the caves, arrange it before your visit rather than hoping to find one at the exit.

On Foot or by Bike from Porto Cristo

If you are already in Porto Cristo, the caves are close enough to walk: about 1–2 kilometres, roughly 15–20 minutes, mostly uphill on the way there, which makes the return easier. A signed path connects from the direction of S’Illot and Sa Coma for anyone cycling in, and the car park has dedicated bicycle provision.

Arriving by Cruise Ship

Cruise passengers reach the caves almost exclusively via Palma, the busiest cruise port in the Balearics. Excursions run about an hour each way by coach, usually combined with a stop in Porto Cristo itself.

Port d’Alcúdia is not meaningfully a cruise port — it is primarily a ferry and commercial harbour, with only occasional small-luxury calls. If you are arriving by sea, plan around Palma.

What Happens When You Arrive

Knowing the layout in advance makes the visit smoother.

1. Car park to main building — free parking, then the ticket office, café, shop, toilets and picnic area.
2. Checking in — if you booked online, skip the ticket office and go straight to the cave entrance at your booked time. Same-day buyers use the ticket office first.
3. The 200-metre walk to the entrance — through gardens, with steps.
4. The tour itself — around 1,200 metres through the caves, roughly an hour, ending at Lake Martel for the live concert and the choice of a boat crossing or the bridge.
5. The exit — you leave by a different point from the one you entered. You do not retrace your steps.
6. Back to the car park — a short, straightforward walk from the exit.

There are no lockers. A small free left-luggage point at the entrance takes bulky items if you have arrived without a car, but there is nothing resembling a proper cloakroom. Plan accordingly if you are carrying luggage.

Toilets are at both the entrance and the exit. There are none inside the cave.

📄 The full visitor experience, chamber by chamber →

Accessibility of the Journey

Worth separating from the accessibility of the cave itself, which is a different question with a different answer.

Getting to the ticket office is step-free. The main building, café, shop and adapted toilets are reached by ramp, with reserved parking bays nearby.

Getting into the cave is not. Both the 200-metre approach path and the cave interior involve flights of steps with handrails. The caves are not wheelchair accessible, even though the surface facilities are.

📄 Full accessibility guide — wheelchairs, steps, pregnancy and health conditions →

Closest Resorts to the Caves

If the Caves of Drach are a priority and you still have flexibility on where to stay:

• Porto Cristo itself — walking distance to the caves, a quieter resort town popular with families
• Cala Millor and Sa Coma — 10 km north, 10–15 minutes by road
• Cala d’Or — around 30 km south, an upmarket marina resort
• Porto Colom — around 30 km south, a quieter working fishing village

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact address of the Caves of Drach?

Ctra. de les Coves s/n, 07680 Porto Cristo, Manacor, Mallorca. The GPS coordinates are 39.5355, 3.3303.

Why do people end up at the wrong cave in Porto Cristo?

Porto Cristo has two separate cave attractions close together — the Caves of Drach and the Coves dels Hams — and generic searches for “caves” or roadside signage can lead you to the wrong one. Always search the exact name of the one you want.

Is parking free at the Caves of Drach?

Yes, entirely free, with no barrier and no charge. It is a large car park with space for cars, coaches, motorbikes and bicycles, plus reduced-mobility bays.

How far is the walk from the car park to the cave entrance?

About 200 metres along a garden path with a flight of steps. Arrive around 15 minutes before your booked session.

Which bus goes to the Caves of Drach?

The TIB stops at the caves are called “Coves del Drac 1” and “Coves del Drac 2.” In 2026, seasonal lines 424, 425, 427 and 428 stopped there between late March and the end of October (425 only from 15 May to 16 October), and the A42 airport bus served Porto Cristo town from 27 March to 31 October. Check tib.org for your date and route.

Are there lockers at the Caves of Drach?

No. There is a small free left-luggage point at the entrance for bulky items, but no proper cloakroom or lockers.

Do you exit the caves through the same entrance you came in?

No. The route is one-way, roughly 1,200 metres through the caves, and you exit at a different point near the main building and car park.

Can I walk to the Caves of Drach from Porto Cristo?

Yes — about 1 to 2 kilometres, roughly 15–20 minutes, mostly uphill on the way there.

How do I get to the Caves of Drach by cruise ship?

Almost all cruise excursions to the caves depart from Palma, about an hour away by coach. Port d’Alcúdia is not a meaningful cruise gateway for this trip.

How far apart are the Caves of Drach and the Coves dels Hams?

About 1.5 to 2 kilometres — a 4–5 minute drive or a 20–25 minute walk. Close enough to visit both in one trip.

Is the route from the car park to the ticket office wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the surface facilities are reached by ramp. The cave interior itself is not wheelchair accessible, as it involves steps throughout.

Plan the Rest of Your Visit

• Caves of Drach: the complete visitor guide
• Tickets, prices and opening times
• Accessibility: wheelchairs, steps, pregnancy and health conditions
• From Palma · from Alcúdia · from Cala Millor
• Coves dels Hams vs Caves of Drach
• Porto Cristo: what to do and where to stay
• Best caves in Mallorca compared
• Browse and book cave tours