La Cueva del Pirata

Coves del Pirata - Cova des Pirata - Cave of the Pirate


Useful Information

Location: Mallorca, Porto Cristo. Road Ma 4014 between Porto Cristo and Porto Colom, turn off at km 9.175.
Open: Closed.
[2012]
Fee: Closed.
[2012]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch.
Dimension: VR=33 m, A=22 m asl.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: M. Estelrich (1905): Las cuevas del Pirata de Manacor (Mallorca), Guía y descripción de sus principales maravillas. Palma
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1897 opened to the public during the agriculture fair in Manacor.

Description

La Cueva del Pirata is a semi show cave, as it is developed with a trail and closed with a gate, but has no electric light and no regular open hours. The cave is easy to visit, just follow the trail, but bring your own torch. We also recommend a helmet, but no other equipment is necessary.

The entrance is close to the CaveCova des Pont and the two caves are actually connected by an underwater passage. The caves were known and named separately and both developed as show caves. The connection was discovered later and so it is actually the same cave.

The Cova des Pirata was named after a legend about a pirate who was wounded and entered the cave to hide and heal his wounds. He was feeding on goat milk, from goats which lived at this place. The cave is closed by a metal bar door, 1.85 m high and 0.90 m wide. Behind the door is a chamber with a stone bench made for the visitors and there are two cave branches starting here. The southern branch on the right side has many nice speleothems and leads to an extremely clear subterranean lake. Its seems this path has lately been blocked by a landslide.