Palma de Mallorca: From Roman Port to Global Tourist Hub

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Palma has spent millennia as a strategic prize, shifting from a Roman camp to a pirate stronghold and a medieval trade capital. Today, this Balearic city balances its complex, layered history with the demands of mass tourism, which now accounts for the vast majority of the island's economic output.

Founded as a Roman camp on the remains of a Talaiotic settlement, Palma has long served as a vital maritime gateway. By 123 BC, it was already functioning as a key port for trade routes connecting the Mediterranean to Africa and Hispania. Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the city endured a turbulent period of Byzantine presence, Vandal raids, and eventually, Islamic rule. Under the Moors, who renamed it Medina Mayurqa, the city evolved into a sophisticated commercial hub, though it remained an enclave frequently caught between competing Christian and Islamic powers.

The 13th century marked a definitive shift when James I of Aragon conquered the city in 1229, renaming it Ciutat de Mallorca. This era ushered in a golden age of architecture and trade, with the construction of iconic landmarks like Bellver Castle and the Cathedral of Majorca. However, the city's history is also marked by darker chapters, including the 1391 anti-Jewish riots and the later persecution of the xuetes—descendants of Jews forced to convert—who maintained their own distinct, syncretist traditions for centuries.

In the modern era, Palma has undergone a radical transformation. The 19th century brought relative stability and economic growth following the end of Maghrebi pirate threats, but the 20th century brought the most profound change: mass tourism. Since the 1950s, the city has expanded rapidly to accommodate millions of annual visitors. Today, tourism generates 80% of the island's GNP, fueling significant urban redevelopment and demographic shifts, while cementing Palma's status as one of Spain's wealthiest regions.

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