Benidorm is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, located 40 km (25 mi) from Alicante. Despite a relatively low population of 77,000, Benidorm has one of the largest skylines in the European Union. A major summer destination for tourists, especially from the United Kingdom, Benidorm is known for its density of high-rise buildings. Their abundance has given the city the nicknames of Beni York, Little Manhattan, and the Manhattan of Spain. As of 2026, Benidorm is home to 33 buildings taller than 100 metres (328 ft), placing it ahead of Madrid as the city with the most such buildings in Spain. Four skyscrapers reach a height of 150 m (492 ft), the second most of any Spanish city after Madrid. The tallest building in Benidorm is Intempo, a tall residential skyscraper completed in 2021.
Benidorm was a small town for most of its history. By the 1950s, the town's fishing industry, which was the mainstay of the local economy, was in decline. Under mayor Pedro Zaragoza, Benidorm began to reinvent itself as a summer tourist destination. Zaragoza encouraged the development of high-rises in Benidorm, which would allow more people to see the beaches and feel the sea air. The approval of a General Urban Development Plan in 1956 limited urban sprawl in favor of more compact vertical development. Benidorm's high-rise urban form took shape over the following decades as tourism continued to grow. Catalan architect Juan Guardiola Gaya was an influential figure in Benidorm's early skyline, designing the Torre Coblanca, one of Benidorm's first high-rises, as well as the curving bays of the 20-storey Coblanca 5.
Benidorm underwent a large construction boom in the 2000s. While only three buildings in the city were taller than 100 m (328 ft) before 2000, new high-rises began to soar above that height regularly. The 186 m (610 ft) tall Gran Hotel Bali became the tallest building in Spain upon its completion in 2002, and remained so until 2008. Other notable skyscrapers built during the decade include Torre Lúgano, Neguri Gane, and Edificio Kronos. The Great Recession significantly impacted high-rise development in Benidorm, and few tall buildings were constructed during the 2010s. Plans for Intempo were put forward in 2006, with construction beginning in 2007, but work on the skyscraper was affected due to the financial crisis. Intempo would finally be finished in 2021, making it the tallest residential building in Spain. The 2020s have seen an uptick in development with projects such as Sunset Sailors and Benidorm Beach. TM Tower, currently under construction, will become the EU's tallest residential skyscraper at 230 m (750 ft) tall upon its completion in 2028.
Unlike most other European cities, high-rises can be found in high concentration throughout Benidorm. Virtually all of them are hotel buildings or for residential use. Due to its low permanent population, Benidorm is considered to have the most skyscrapers per capita of any city in the world. The city's skyline is framed by the Mediterranean Sea to its south and the Puig Campana, the second-highest mountain in the province of Alicante, to its northwest.
History
Map of tallest buildings The map below displays the location of all buildings taller than 100 m (328 ft) in Benidorm. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and coloured by the decade of its completion.
Tallest buildings
This list ranks completed buildings in Benidorm that stand at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The “Year” column indicates the year of completion. Buildings tied in height are sorted by year of completion with earlier buildings ranked first, and then alphabetically.
RankName ImageLocationHeightm (ft)FloorsYearPurpose Notes 1 Intempo 49 2021 ResidentialTallest building in Benidorm completed in the 2020s. Tallest building in Spain outside of Madrid. Tallest residential building in Spain. Features two towers connected by an elliptical cone on its top floors. Although construction initially began in 2007, work on the building was greatly affected by the Great Recession. The building was nearly complete by 2014, but would only be fully finished in 2021. 2 Gran Hotel Bali 52 2002 HotelTallest building in Benidorm from 2002 to 2021. Tallest building in Spain from 2002 to 2008, when it was overtaken by the Torre Emperador in Madrid. Tallest building completed in Benidorm in the 2000s. Tallest hotel building in Benidorm. At the time of its opening, it was the second tallest hotel in Europe. 3 Torre Lúgano 43 2007 ResidentialTallest residential building in Spain from 2007 to 2021. 4 Sunset Sailors Tower 1 40 2026 Residential 5 Neguri Gane 43 2002 ResidentialTallest residential building in Spain from 2002 to 2008. 6 Edificio Kronos 41 2008Residential 7 Benidorm Beach 36 2024 Residential 8 Edificio Don Jorge 36 2008 Residential9El Mirador del Mediterráneo322006Residential 10 Torre Levante 35 1985 ResidentialTallest building in Benidorm from 1985 to 2002. Tallest building completed in Benidorm in the 1980s.11Costa Blanca I361993ResidentialTallest building completed in Benidorm in the 1990s.12Miragolf Playa 2332005Residential 13 Gemelos 26 Torre I 33 2009 Residential14Gemelos 26 Torre II332009Residential 15 Torre d'Oboe I 31 2009 Residential16Torre d'Oboe II312009Residential17Sunset Sailors Tower 2302026Residential 18 Sol de Poniente 2 33 2005 Residential 19 Beni Beach 35 1996 Residential20Sunset Cliffs Torre 2—312022Residential 21 Playa Azul 34 2002 Residential 22 Torre Pinar 30 2004 Residential 23 Miragolf Playa I 30 2005 Residential 24 Residencial Islamar 2 28 2010 ResidentialTallest buildings completed in Benidorm in the 2010s.25Residencial Islamar 3282010ResidentialTallest buildings completed in Benidorm in the 2010s. 26 Sunset Waves I 29 2021 Residential27Sunset Waves II292021Residential 28 Las Terrazas de Benidorm 1 30 2005 Residential29Las Terrazas de Benidorm 2302005Residential30Hotel Port Benidorm262026Residential31Torre Doscalas322004Residential 32 Gemelos 22 Torre 1 32 2003 Residential33Gemelos 22 Torre 2322004Residential
Tallest under construction or proposed
Under construction The following table includes buildings under construction in Benidorm that are planned to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. Buildings that are on hold are not included. NameHeightm (ft)FloorsYearPurpose NotesTM Tower642028ResidentialWill become the tallest building in Benidorm and the tallest residential building in Spain when completed.Gran Delfín44—ResidentialTorre Poseidón302026Hotel
Proposed The following table includes approved and proposed buildings in Benidorm that are expected to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. A dash “–“ indicates information about the building’s height, floor count, or year of completion is unknown or has not been released. NameHeightm (ft)FloorsYearStatusNotesTorre Eólica12030 —Proposed
Timeline of tallest buildings NameImageYears as tallestHeightm (ft)FloorsNotesTorre Coblanca1969–198531Torre Levante1985–200235Gran Hotel Bali2002–202152Intempo2021–present49
See also
List of tallest buildings in Barcelona List of tallest buildings in Madrid
References