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Mallorca is an island of undisputed beauty, inside and out. Its beautiful coves, the spectacular Sierra de Tramuntana and its underground caves provide you with an endless paradise to discover, and it always keeps the surprises coming. The Genova caves are one of these surprises: an underground treasure that you'll find hidden in one of the residential neighbourhoods of Palma de Mallorca. They will amaze you with their incredible colours and shapes.
Table of contents
- The best of the Genova caves
- The popcorn cave
- Underground colours
- Dante’s Inferno
- Prices
- Timetable
- How to get to the Genova caves
The best of the Genova caves
Much less well-known and visited than the famous Cuevas del Drach, the Genova caves – Coves de Génova in Catalan – is one of those places where you can still find the island's tranquillity and authentic spirit. They are, in fact, an unknown gem even among locals, as they have long existed in the shade of the caves in Porto Cristo.
Nevertheless, they have qualities that make them unique and worth a visit, especially if you're travelling with children and if you want to discover the best-kept secrets of Mallorca.
The popcorn cave
The Genova caves in Mallorca have a high concentration of a rare formation: coralloids, also known as cave popcorn or cauliflowers because their shape and white colour make them resemble just those two things. This has to do with the caves’ calcareous origin, and that they contain a lot of calcite and aragonite. The popcorn cave will definitely be a hit: it's like admiring an underground popcorn field!
If you look closely, you'll be able to make out other surprising shapes apart from those peculiar cauliflowers: a chameleon, a theatre, a nativity scene and even the three kings. All of them created by the force of nature, leaving unique scenes for you to enjoy along the route.
Underground colours
Another thing that differentiates them from other caves on Mallorca is the vibrant colours found in the Genova caves. From various shades of white and grey to numerous nuances of reds and copper.
These caves are also the only caves on the island to be constantly exposed to fresh water, which guarantees that they continue to grow year after year, at a speed of one centimetre every 90 years. This natural irrigation is also what keeps the colours of the formations alive and lets the light shows you'll enjoy during the tour have an authentic effect.
Dante's Inferno
The full tour of the Genova caves takes an hour, and the ‘Dante's Inferno’ section is the most famous part. It's a place where formations and light shows recreate what the descent to hell would have looked like, as imagined by Dante Alighieri in his Divine Comedy. The route, allowing you to stay close to the formations, creates a sense of mystery that is very intense, very magical.
Prices
Tickets to the caves can be purchased online and advance booking is obligatory as the groups are very small (about 20 people maximum). The prices vary and can be found directly on the official website of the caves.
If you want to make things easy for yourself, you can buy your tickets directly through the flight+hotel section of our website. Just pick the dates for your trip, choose your hotel, and add your visit to the Genova caves in the activities section.
Timetable
The Coves de Génova, as they are known on Mallorca, are open every day from 11 am to 5 pm and the last tour starts at 4:30 pm.
How to get to the Genova caves
The caves are found in a neighbourhood of the same name: Génova. More specifically they are located on calle Barranc 45, next to a restaurant also called Las Cuevas de Génova. It takes 20 minutes to get here from Zafiro Palace Palmanova and Zafiro Palmanova, and half an hour from Zafiro Palace Andratx.
You can go to the Genova caves by car (there is a parking area there) but if you prefer you can also go on public transport from the centre of Palma. The city bus line is number 46, leaving from the Vía Sindicat bus stop, right in the heart of Palma's old town, and the trip to the caves takes about 20 minutes. Why not take the opportunity to spend a day in the city, and use a couple of hours to visit the caves?