A town with two different daily moods. From ten until four, coaches bring visitors to the Coves del Drac. Before and after, Porto Cristo is a quiet harbour town with an old centre, a beach and a watchtower dating from 1577.
Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo in 30 seconds
The essentials at a glance
- Worth visiting for
- A longer stay
- Best for
- Anyone combining the caves with a town visit
- Best months
- March–June, September–November
- Time to allow
- Half a day including a cave, or a week as a holiday base
- With children
- Very good
- Without a car
- Hire car recommended
- Parking
- Streets above the harbour; limited spaces during peak cave-visiting hours
- Getting into the water
- Shallow and sheltered at the head of the bay
- Keep in mind
- Anyone expecting peace between ten and four
- Access
- Pushchairs: Straightforward along the promenade and beach approaches · Wheelchairs: Accessible promenade; the caves are not wheelchair-accessible
Get a feel for Mallorca. Find your kind of place.
Coves del Drac are larger than Coves dels Hams and draw many of the excursion coaches.
The narrow, deeply indented bay gives the harbour its shelter.
Buildings rise directly behind the beach. It is a built-up setting, but everything is close together.
Getting to know Porto Cristo
Does Porto Cristo suit your plans?
What to expect and what to know before you visit.
Who it suits
- Anyone combining the caves with a town visit
- Visitors wanting a beach inside a sheltered bay
- Families — the beach is protected at the head of the inlet
- Early risers or late-afternoon visitors
Things to bear in mind
- Anyone expecting peace between ten and four
- Visitors looking for an undiscovered village
- Anyone wanting a long beach
- Winter visitors needing all holiday facilities open
Drive from the airport
60 minutes
62 km
Bus connections
Services from Manacor
Region
Llevant
Nearest beach
Cala Anguila
3 km
Elevation
8 m
above sea level
Season guide for Porto Cristo
November Worth a visit
Quiet Some places closed
Worth visiting in March, April, May, June, September, October and November.
Location
Location of Porto Cristo
- Region
- Llevant
- Municipality
- Manacor
- Population
- 7,500
- Elevation
- 8 m above sea level
- Airport
- 62 km , around 60 minutes
- Hire car
- recommended
- Worth visiting for
- a longer stay
- Coordinates
- 39.5417,3.3364
A town with a daily rhythm
Porto Cristo sits on Cala Manacor, less than fourteen kilometres from Manacor. It helps to know how its day unfolds.
Eight to ten in the morning: a peaceful harbour town, with a small old centre, a beach at the head of the bay, fishing boats alongside yachts and still water in the harbour.
Ten until four: excursion coaches arrive. Visitors see a cave, take a quick look around town, take photographs and return to their coach.
After four: the town becomes quieter again, with a pleasant atmosphere until after sunset.
Staying overnight gives you both of the quieter parts of the day. For a day trip, bear that rhythm in mind.
The caves
Two major cave systems are here: Coves del Drac and Coves dels Hams. The larger Coves del Drac are particularly impressive and draw many of the coaches.
The Coves Blanques on the eastern side of the bay are less well known, with evidence of prehistoric occupation.
The caves make Porto Cristo a useful rainy-day destination. The catch is that many other visitors have the same idea.
What else to see
Visit the Església Mare de Déu del Carme, dating from the 1920s, and the Torre del Serral dels Falcons, built in 1577 at the southern harbour entrance. The tower belonged to the old coastal warning system against pirates. There is also the Club Nàutic, founded by Joan Servera Amer.
The Safari Zoo lies outside town towards Cala Millor.
For a trip inland, consider Nostra Senyora dels Dolors in Manacor. Behind its high bell tower is a spacious church with coloured windows and richly decorated altars.
The beach
A small, sheltered sandy beach occupies the head of the bay. The water shelves gently, and there are sunbeds, parasols and lifeguards in season. It is a useful family swimming spot on this stretch of coast.
Further south, Cala Anguila and Cala Mandia offer pale sand and shallow water. Seasonal bus 427 links Porto Cristo with Cala Mendia, from where you can walk to Cala Anguila. Both become crowded in July and August, with limited parking close to the sand.
When to visit
March is often overlooked, although the caves are open without the summer queues. May and October are the best all-round months. In July and August, arriving early or late matters even more.
Photographs
Porto Cristo in Mallorca
How much time do you have?
Things to do in Porto Cristo
Three hours
Arrive early for the harbour, promenade and old town, then visit Coves dels Hams or Coves del Drac before the coach crowds.
Half a day
Add Torre del Serral dels Falcons at the southern harbour entrance and a swim at the sheltered beach.
A full day
Explore a cave and the town in the morning, spend time on the beach, then enjoy another stroll after the coaches leave in the late afternoon.
On a rainy day
One of the east coast's best rainy-day choices, with two major cave systems nearby.
The beach at a glance
- Underfoot
- Fine sand
- Getting into the water
- Shallow and sheltered at the head of the bay
- Length
- Around two hundred metres
- Shade
- Little; parasols available to hire
- Wind
- Sheltered inside the bay
- With children
- Very good
- Facilities
- Sunbed and parasol hire · Restaurants and bars along the promenade · Lifeguards in season · Club Nàutic and marina
Practical details
- Parking
- Streets above the harbour; limited spaces during peak cave-visiting hours
- Public transport
- Services from Manacor, Cala Millor and Palma
- Time to allow
- Half a day including a cave, or a week as a holiday base
- Good to know
- Cave excursion coaches shape the day's rhythm. Before ten and after four, the town feels quite different.
- Bus
- Services from Manacor, Cala Millor and Palma, with extra journeys serving the caves in season.
- Shops and services
- Supermarkets: Several in town, open year-round · Pharmacy: Several · Medical care: In town; hospital in Manacor · Cash machines: Plenty · Fuel: On the road to Manacor
- Access
- Level promenade; some slopes in the old town · Pushchairs: Straightforward along the promenade and beach approaches · Wheelchairs: Accessible promenade; the caves are not wheelchair-accessible · Dogs: Not allowed on the beach in season
- What you will not find
- Midday peace · A long beach · An undiscovered village atmosphere
- Coordinates
- 39.5417,3.3364 Google Maps Apple Maps
Within reach
Places to visit
In the town
Nearby
A church without a roof stands in the middle of Son Servera. Beyond Església Nova’s iron gate, garden paths pass …
Behind the Rafa Nadal Sports Center is a museum worth taking time over. Inside Torre dels Enagistes, the galleries …
The tall bell tower of Nostra Senyora dels Dolors rises above Manacor’s rooftops. Inside are a lofty vaulted nave …
Torre de Canyamel stands in the valley beside the road to the coast. The imposing 13th-century defensive tower …
A limestone cave with a huge opening above the sea near Canyamel. Inside, a guided route climbs and descends steps …
A pilgrimage church has stood here since 1348, 509 metres above Felanitx at the southern end of the Serra de …
Behind a wall of enormous stone blocks on the edge of Artà lies a Talayotic settlement with around 3,000 years of …
A fortress with a church inside, high above Artà. Walls with nine towers surround a courtyard of palms, an old …
Distances without a driving time are measured in a straight line. The road journey can be much longer; known driving times are shown alongside.
Other beaches to consider
Beaches and swimming nearby
Cala Anguila lies south of Porto Cristo, beside Cala Mandia. A small sandy beach opens between low rocks and …
Cala Mandia, also called Cala Mendia, lies south of Porto Cristo. Pale sand, clear water and gently shelving …
Nearly two kilometres of pale sand, a car-free promenade and hotels behind it. Cala Millor is an unmistakable …
Walk north from Cala Millor and the seafront stroll becomes a wander around the harbour. In Cala Bona, little …
Explore from here
Your questions answered
Your questions about Porto Cristo
When should I visit Porto Cristo?
Before ten in the morning or after four in the afternoon. Between these times, coaches bring visitors to Coves del Drac and Coves dels Hams. Outside the busiest hours, you get a much more peaceful harbour town.
Which caves are near Porto Cristo?
The two major systems are Coves del Drac and Coves dels Hams. Coves del Drac are larger and particularly impressive. The less-known Coves Blanques lie on the eastern side of the bay, with traces of prehistoric occupation.
Does Porto Cristo have a beach?
Yes, a small sandy beach at the head of the bay. It is sheltered and gently shelving, making it a good family option. Sunbeds, parasols and lifeguards are available in season.
What is Torre del Serral dels Falcons?
A signal and watchtower dating from 1577 at the southern entrance to Porto Cristo harbour. It formed part of the coastal warning system against pirate attacks.
What else is there to see besides the caves?
The small old town, the 1920s Església Mare de Déu del Carme, the 1577 watchtower at the harbour entrance and Club Nàutic, founded by Joan Servera Amer. The Safari Zoo is outside town towards Cala Millor.
Is Porto Cristo a good holiday base?
Yes, particularly because staying here lets you enjoy the quieter mornings and evenings that day visitors miss. There are year-round shops, restaurants, a sheltered beach and Manacor nearby.
Practical questions
When is the best time to visit Porto Cristo?
Recommended months: March, April, May, June, September, October, November. A good time for the caves without the peak-season queues.
Is Porto Cristo worth visiting in July and August?
July: worth considering with some reservations. Usually very crowded. Busy between ten and four. Come early or late. August: worth considering with some reservations. Usually very crowded.
How far is Porto Cristo from Palma airport?
About 62 km from Palma airport. Allow roughly 60 minutes by car. Manacor is around fourteen kilometres away. Parking becomes noticeably harder during the caves' busiest visiting hours.
Do I need a hire car for Porto Cristo?
A car is useful Services from Manacor, Cala Millor and Palma, with extra journeys serving the caves in season.
Where can I park in Porto Cristo?
Streets above the harbour; limited spaces during peak cave-visiting hours
Can you swim at Porto Cristo?
Yes. Fine sand Shallow and sheltered at the head of the bay Around two hundred metres Little; parasols available to hire Very good
Can I visit Porto Cristo with a pushchair or wheelchair?
Level promenade; some slopes in the old town Pushchairs: Straightforward along the promenade and beach approaches Wheelchairs: Accessible promenade; the caves are not wheelchair-accessible
Are dogs allowed at Porto Cristo?
Not allowed on the beach in season
Words and photographs: Friedhelm Fischer. Exploring Mallorca since 2013 — by bike, on foot and with a camera.