# The east coast of Mallorca: coves, caves and resorts > The east coast of Mallorca from Cala Rajada to Porto Cristo: show caves with an underground lake, long beaches at Cala Millor and castles inland. Canonical: https://mallorcaplaner.com/east-coast/ Updated on: 2026-10-02 The east coast of Mallorca runs from Cala Rajada in the north-east to Porto Cristo and is known for its show caves and resorts. Behind it lie Manacor, the second-largest town on the island, and the castle towns of Artà and Capdepera. ## In short The east coast of Mallorca is the region of caves and coves. Porto Cristo has the Caves of Drach, with the underground Lake Martel, and the Coves dels Hams. Cala Millor, with its 1.8 kilometre beach, is the largest resort on the east coast, and Cala Rajada in the north-east is a harbour town with several sandy coves. From Porto Cristo it is about 59 kilometres to Palma in a straight line. ## Key points - The Caves of Drach are close to 1,200 metres long according to the operator and reach 25 metres below the surface. - Lake Martel in the Caves of Drach is named after Édouard-Alfred Martel, who explored the cave in 1896. - The Coves dels Hams were discovered on 2 March 1905 and lie about one kilometre west of Porto Cristo. - The beach at Cala Millor is 1.8 kilometres long, and the resort is split between two municipalities. - Cala Rajada belongs to the municipality of Capdepera, and the Capdepera lighthouse came into service in 1861. ## What defines the east coast of Mallorca The east coast belongs to the Llevant district. It is a rocky coast broken again and again by coves with sandy beaches, and several large cave systems lie underground. The economic centre is Manacor, the second-largest town in Mallorca after Palma, known for furniture and artificial pearls. The municipality has 49,153 residents (2025) according to Wikidata. Porto Cristo, the harbour town with the caves, is part of Manacor. In the north-east, Artà and Capdepera form the hinterland of the coast. Until the 19th century Capdepera and Son Servera belonged to the district of Artà, which is why the caves near Canyamel are still called the Caves of Artà although they lie in the municipality of Capdepera. ## The caves of the east coast - Caves of Drach (Coves del Drach): Four connected caves near Porto Cristo, close to 1,200 metres long according to the operator and up to 25 metres deep. They were first mentioned in a letter dated 1338. Inside is Lake Martel, named after the French cave explorer Édouard-Alfred Martel, who explored the cave in 1896. The visit usually ends with a short classical concert played by musicians in rowing boats. - Coves dels Hams: These caves were discovered on 2 March 1905 by Pedro Caldentey and lie about one kilometre west of Porto Cristo on the road to Manacor. They also hold an underground lake. - Caves of Artà: This dripstone cave system lies east of Canyamel at Cap Vermell, about 50 metres above the shore. Entry times and fares change with the season, so check them on each cave's own website. They are also an option for days of poor weather, see [Mallorca in the rain](https://mallorcaplaner.com/rainy-day/). ## Towns on the east coast - Porto Cristo: A small harbour town on a bay that opens to the south-east. Manacor is about 12 to 14 kilometres away. - Cala Millor: The resort lies in the municipalities of Son Servera and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, has more than 5,000 residents and is the largest tourist destination on the east coast. The beach is 1.8 kilometres long. The harbour village of Cala Bona adjoins it to the north. - Cala Rajada: A district of Capdepera with a harbour, at the end of the Ma-15 road that runs from Palma via Manacor, Artà and Capdepera. Around it lie the coves of Cala Moltó, Cala Agulla, Cala Lliteres, Cala Gat and Son Moll. The beach of Cala Agulla is framed by pine forest on dunes and is a protected natural area. - Capdepera: The castle stands on the 159 metre Puig de Capdepera and is one of the best-preserved fortresses in Mallorca. - Artà: Above the town stands the walled pilgrimage church of Sant Salvador, reached by a stairway of 180 steps. The Talayotic settlement of Ses Païsses is in the same municipality. You will find more villages and towns under [places in Mallorca](https://mallorcaplaner.com/towns-and-villages/). ## Getting there and getting around The east coast is a long way from the airport. According to Wikipedia it is about 70 kilometres from Cala Millor to the airport, and about 78 kilometres from Cala Rajada to Palma. According to Aena, airport bus line A42 runs between Palma airport and Cala Bona. The TIB transport network lists it as a summer-only line (checked on 2 October 2026). Stops, timetables and fares are published by the bus operator. Locally the distances are short: nine kilometres of road separate Porto Cristo and Son Servera, and ten separate Cala Rajada and Artà. The [map](https://mallorcaplaner.com/map/) shows where each place is. ## Who the east coast suits The east coast suits you if you want a resort with the beach on the doorstep and day trips close by: caves, castles, coves. Families find a long beach with lifeguard towers at Cala Millor, see [Mallorca with children](https://mallorcaplaner.com/with-kids/). If you prefer coves to long beaches, look at Cala Rajada. The region is less suitable for frequent trips to Palma or the Tramuntana, because both are at the other end of the island. Beaches are compared under [beaches](https://mallorcaplaner.com/beaches/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Which caves are on the east coast of Mallorca? There are three large show caves: the Caves of Drach and the Coves dels Hams near Porto Cristo, in the municipality of Manacor, and the Caves of Artà near Canyamel, in the municipality of Capdepera. Each cave publishes its own times and fares. ### How long are the Caves of Drach at Porto Cristo in Mallorca? According to the operator, the Caves of Drach have a horizontal extent of close to 1,200 metres and reach 25 metres below the surface. Inside is Lake Martel, named after Édouard-Alfred Martel, who explored the cave in 1896. ### How far is Cala Millor from Palma de Mallorca airport? According to Wikipedia it is about 70 kilometres from Palma de Mallorca Airport to Cala Millor. Aena lists airport bus line A42 to Cala Bona, the village just north of Cala Millor, and according to TIB it runs in summer only. Timetables and fares are published by the bus operator. ### Which municipality does Cala Rajada in Mallorca belong to? Cala Rajada, formerly also spelled Cala Ratjada, is a district of the municipality of Capdepera in the north-east of Mallorca. It lies at the end of the Ma-15 road and had 6,432 residents in 2019 according to Wikipedia. ### How long is the beach at Cala Millor in Mallorca? According to Wikipedia the beach at Cala Millor is 1.8 kilometres long and is watched by three lifeguard towers. The resort is split between the municipalities of Son Servera and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. ### Why are the Caves of Artà in Mallorca called that if they are in Capdepera? The name dates from before 1858. At that time Capdepera was not a separate municipality and, together with Son Servera, belonged to the district of Artà. The caves lie east of Canyamel at Cap Vermell. ## Sources - [Wikipedia (EN): Porto Cristo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porto_Cristo), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (EN): Cuevas del Drach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuevas_del_Drach), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (EN): Coves dels Hams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coves_dels_Hams), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (EN): Cala Millor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cala_Millor), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (DE): Cala Bona](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cala_Bona), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (EN): Manacor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manacor), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (EN): Artà](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art%C3%A0), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (DE): Cala Rajada](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cala_Rajada), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (DE): Capdepera](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capdepera), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikipedia (DE): Coves d’Artà](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coves_d%E2%80%99Art%C3%A0), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikidata: Einwohner und Fläche der Gemeinden (Abfrage der Einträge am Prüfdatum)](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8828), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Aena: Aeropuerto de Palma de Mallorca, cómo llegar en autobús](https://www.aena.es/es/palma-de-mallorca/como-llegar/autobus.html), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Cuevas del Drach (Betreiber): Länge und Tiefe der Höhlen](https://www.cuevasdeldrach.com/), checked on 2026-10-02 - [TIB (Consorci de Transports de Mallorca): Buslinien, Flughafenlinie A42 nur im Sommer](https://www.tib.org/es/lineas-y-horarios/autobus), checked on 2026-10-02 - [Wikidata: Koordinaten von Porto Cristo (Q1013077) und Palma (Q8826) für die Luftlinie](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1013077), checked on 2026-10-02