Cala Murta (Porto Cristo)

Cala Murta; discreet virgin cove next to Porto Cristo

Services and features

Description

Cala Murta is a tiny cove of stone and rocks located next to Porto Cristo, in the municipality of Manacor, in the east of Mallorca. It should not be confused with Cala Murta on the Formentor peninsula, in Pollensa. The bathing area is barely 10 m long and between 10 and 12 wide.

Access is via a path from the Cuevas del Drach car park, or cross country from the nearby streets of Porto Cristo. This population has grown to reach the left bank of Cala Murta, although the environment closest to the cove remains completely virgin.

The difficulty of access makes it not suitable for people with mobility problems or small children. Due to its proximity to Porto Cristo, it is perfect for other users since the road is not very long.

Cala Murta stands out for the very characteristic color that its waters acquire at the bottom, the reflection of the low cliffs that flank it and the opening to the sea.

Another very curious and practically unique feature on the coast of Mallorca is that it has a source of fresh water that springs up in the middle of the salt water, coming from the nearby Cuevas el Drach

This source, known since time immemorial, was confirmed in 2018, when the gallery that connects the caves with the cove was located.

Given the narrowness of the cove, it is not possible to anchor with boats of a certain size, only with small boats, and with caution, given the amount of rocks and the proximity to the cliffs. The sand and rock bottom is 4 m deep 100 m from the shore. The cove is completely exposed to the east, so it is not convenient to anchor when that wind blows.

Take a look at Cala Murta in 360º

Watch image in 360º

How to get to Cala Murta

Open route in GPS

Cala Murta is next to Porto Cristo and its access is between this town and the famous Cuevas del Drach. If we are in Porto Cristo, we simply have to follow the indications to the Drach Caves, whose access is at the beginning of the Ma-4014, which leads to Felanitx and Santanyí.

If not, we must first get to Manacor and then continue towards Porto Cristo. After 9.5 km we will arrive at a roundabout where we will take the first exit, following the signs for Portocolom and Calas de Mallorca. After 2 km we will reach another roundabout, which connects with the Ma-4014. Here we will take the third exit, again in the direction of Porto Cristo. We will continue for 1.2 km and we will arrive at another roundabout where the access to the Cuevas del Drach car park is signposted. From the car park there is a path to get to Cala Murta.

Another option is from this last roundabout, take avenida de Joan Servera Camps and after about 400 m turn right onto calle Bruixola. At the end of this street there is another free parking area, from where another small path leaves us in the cove.

Porto Cristo is well served by public transport. Next to the access to the Cuevas del Drach there is a stop on line 412, which runs from Palma to Son Servera, passing through Manacor.

If we are in the east of the island, we can take line 441, which connects Calas de Mallorca with Cala Ratjada. Line 454 also stops here, which goes from Can Pastilla and Playa de Palma to Cala Bona, which passes through Manacor and some towns on its coast.

250 m away there is another stop where in addition to the aforementioned lines, the 831A stops, which connects the coast of Manacor with Inca on Thursdays (the day of its traditional market), and the 832A, which reaches Sineu, also on the day of your market.

It is also possible to arrive by boat, although of small dimensions due to the narrowness of the cove, and as long as there is no east wind blowing. At 100 m from the shore the bottom of sand and rocks is 4 m.

Services

As Cala Murta is a virgin cove, there is no type of service available to bathers. There are no showers, toilets, or lifeguard service. Nor does it have access for people with mobility problems, or with umbrellas or hammocks. There are no bars or restaurants on the beach.

Activities

The main attraction of Cala Murta are its clean and crystalline waters with a very moderate swell. The sandy bottom of the cove quickly acquires a certain depth, so it is necessary to enter with caution. The source of fresh and fresh water from the Cuevas del Drach creates a contrast with the supply of warmer water from the sea.

As there is no sandy area in Cala Murta, it is difficult to find a place to lie down comfortably to sunbathe. The most common is to go in and out of the water, or walk through its cliffs to dive into its clear blue waters.

The cleanliness and clarity of its waters make Cala Murta perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving

Its seabed, between rocky and sandy, acquires a particular beauty under these waters. The surrounding cliffs also provide a magnificent underwater panorama. If we don’t have equipment in Porto Cristo, there are facilities to rent it, and diving trips are also organized that include dives in Cala Murta.

It is also possible to take canoe trips from Porto Cristo to reach Cala Murta, either as a final destination or as a stop for longer trips.

Cala Murta is also a good starting or stopping point for hiking routes to nearby coves:

• Porto Cristo – Cala Murta – Cala Magrana
• Porto Cristo: Cala Murta-Cala Anguila-Cala Mendia-Son Moro

If we come here we cannot miss the opportunity to visit the Caves of Drach and Las dels Hams, two authentic natural wonders

Very close to Cala Murta is the Torre dels Falcons, a watchtower probably built in the 13th or 14th centuries, but rebuilt with its current appearance in 1577 and which is the oldest building in today’s Porto Cristo.

To regain strength or refresh ourselves in the neighboring Porto Cristo there are a wide variety of establishments: Spanish and international cuisine, tapas bars, cocktails, etc.

Lodging

In Cala Murta itself there is no type of accommodation, but just 200 m away there are several tourist villas. Porto Cristo has become in recent years a high-level tourist destination with a very good hotel offer: family hotels, hotels for women only, hotels for adults only, rural hotels, apartments, and a long etcetera.

 

Calas in the east area of mallorca

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