Coves del Drach (Drach Caves)

The Drach Caves in Porto Cristo are the most visited attraction on the east coast: a 1.2 km underground cave system with stalactites, stalagmites, and Lake Martel, one of the largest underground lakes in Europe. The visit culminates in a classical music concert played from boats on the lake in complete darkness, which sounds gimmicky but is genuinely atmospheric.

Here's the reality: you'll descend stone steps into cool air that hits you immediately, a relief on hot summer days when it's 35°C outside but stays 21°C year-round down there. The humidity is noticeable but not oppressive. Your guide will point out formations with names like "Buddha" and "Flag of Mallorca" that require serious imagination to see. The acoustics are impressive though, your footsteps and whispers echo in ways that make kids go silent with wonder.

Lake Martel is the real payoff. You'll sit on stone benches in total darkness while a small boat glides across the perfectly still water with musicians playing Chopin or Albinoni. It lasts about 10 minutes and yes, it's touristy, but the combination of music, darkness, and that mirror-like lake surface creates something genuinely moving. Some people tear up.

After the concert, you can take a short boat ride across the lake for no extra charge, or walk around it if you prefer. The whole experience takes exactly 1 hour, no rushing, no lingering.

EUR 16 entry, tours run every 30 minutes from 10 AM. Book online to skip the ticket queue. Go at opening or after 4 PM to avoid the tour bus crowds, otherwise you'll be crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with 400 other people. The caves were known since the Middle Ages and fully explored by Edouard-Alfred Martel in 1896. Wear comfortable shoes with grip, the paths can be slippery.