Intempo: A Guide to Benidorm's Iconic Skyscraper

From the motorway or out at sea, one silhouette gives Benidorm away before any other: a huge white M cut against the sky. That's Intempo, the city's tallest skyscraper and one of the icons of the Costa Blanca. This guide explains what it actually is, why it has that odd shape, the famous elevator legend, where to see it best, and how to reach it on a day trip from València, with a few ideas to round out the outing.

What Intempo is

Intempo is a luxury residential building in the Vía Parque area, next to Benidorm's Poniente beach. It was designed by the Alicante studio Pérez-Guerras Arquitectos & Ingenieros and officially unveiled in January 2006, at the height of Spain's building boom. It isn't an office tower or a hotel, it's flats: the penthouses look out over the Mediterranean from a considerable height.

Its profile has become the city's modern postcard. Plenty of people use it to get their bearings: spot the M and you know which way the sea lies.

The M shape and the twin towers

The heart of the design is its geometry. Intempo is not a single tower but two parallel twin towers that rise straight up and join near the top, about 150 metres high, via a large inverted cone with an elliptical base. That crown tops the whole structure and, seen head on, traces the white M framed within a diamond.

One widely repeated interpretation says the letter is a tribute to Madrid. Treat it with caution: the architects have never confirmed it as the project's intent. What is certain is the effect, a bold, symmetrical shape that has turned the building into a brand in its own right.

Height and records

Intempo stands 202.5 metres tall at its highest point and has 47 floors above ground (plus three below). Those figures make it the tallest building in Benidorm, the tallest in Spain outside Madrid, and the tallest residential building in the European Union. In a city already known for its skyline of towers, this is the one people notice first.

The elevator legend (and what really happened)

No Spanish skyscraper has generated more chatter. In 2013 a juicy story went around the world: that the builders had "forgotten" the lift. The popular version claimed the project started at 20 floors, was later pushed to 47, and that nobody rescaled the lift shaft, leaving the building with no way to reach the top.

The reality is less comic but just as telling. There was a genuine technical problem: the lift system and, above all, the space for the machine room had been designed for the original, much shorter scheme, and fell short for a near-50-storey tower. The issue was solved by redesigning that section and adding the space the machinery needed. To be clear: Intempo does have elevators and they work normally; the "skyscraper with no lift" headline was an exaggeration that went viral.

Behind the anecdote lies a harder story. Work began in 2007 and was meant to finish within a couple of years, but the 2008 crisis changed everything: the original developer ran into serious financial trouble, the building changed hands, and construction dragged on for more than a decade until it was finally completed in 2021. Intempo is, in the end, the perfect monument to the building boom and its hangover.

Where to see it best

To take in the M properly, the best spot is Poniente beach, about 500 metres from the building: from the sand and the promenade the silhouette reads whole and symmetrical, especially in the late afternoon when the sun turns it golden. Other views worth seeking out:

• The Castle viewpoint (Balcón del Mediterráneo): the balcony between the two beaches, with the tower and the sea behind it.
• Levante beach: the classic shot of Benidorm's skyline, with Intempo standing out above the rest.
• El Tossal de la Cala or the Serra Gelada: slightly elevated viewpoints for a full panorama of the city.

Bear in mind that Intempo is a building of private homes: there are no tourist visits or public viewing deck at the top, so the plan is to see it from the outside.

When to go: best season and time of day

Benidorm is a year-round destination thanks to its sheltered microclimate, but for a day trip from València the sweet spots are spring (April to June) and autumn (September and October): pleasant temperatures, a warm sea, and far fewer people than peak July and August. Even in winter the city stays lively and the sun usually shows up, which is unusual on the Mediterranean coast.

For the photo of the M, the golden hour in the late afternoon works best: the light hits the building's west face (the one looking onto Poniente) and turns it orange. At sunrise the tower is backlit from Poniente, a different look if you're after a silhouette. In high season, head out early to dodge both the heat and the crowds on the promenade.

Budget tips

Seeing Intempo costs nothing: you view it from the beach and public viewpoints. The only real expense is transport and whatever you eat or drink there. A few ways to keep costs down:

• Transport: the scheduled coach usually works out cheaper than driving if you travel solo or as a couple, once you add tolls, fuel, and parking. Book ahead to secure a seat at weekends.
• Parking: if you drive, look for blue-zone bays or a car park on the edge of town and walk in; parking beside the beach in summer is pricey and hard to find.
• Eating: the old town has plenty of taverns and tapas bars with decent prices, usually better value than the touristy spots on the front promenade.

For more no-spend plans across the region, take a look at our free things to do section.

What to eat and where to have tapas in Benidorm

The local cooking is coastal and Mediterranean. It's worth trying a good rice dish (arroz a banda or senyoret), fresh fish straight from the market, and, to start, the classic tapas of the Costa Blanca. The old fishermen's quarter around the Balcón del Mediterráneo is the best area for tapas without falling into tourist traps. If you like Valencian food and want to understand it properly, our gastronomy guide sets the scene before you travel.

Frequently asked questions about Intempo

Can you go up Intempo or visit inside?

No. Intempo is a building of private homes, with no public viewing deck and no tourist visits. You see it from the outside, from Poniente beach or the city's viewpoints.

Did they really forget the elevator?

Not quite. There was a genuine technical problem with the machine-room space when the building grew from its original height to 47 floors, but it was solved by redesigning that section. Intempo does have elevators and they work normally; the "skyscraper with no lift" headline was a viral exaggeration.

How long does it take from València to Benidorm?

By direct ALSA coach, around two and a half hours. By car on the AP-7, roughly two hours depending on traffic. By train with a TRAM connection in Alicante it's slower, but the tram's coastal stretch is worth it.

Is it worth going just to see Intempo?

The building itself takes only minutes to take in, so it makes more sense as part of a full day in Benidorm: beaches, the old town, the Balcón del Mediterráneo and, if you're up for it, a walk along the Serra Gelada or an excursion to Guadalest.

How to get there from València

Benidorm lies to the south, already in the province of Alicante, a little over two hours from València. The easiest, most direct option is the coach: ALSA lines link València's bus station to Benidorm in around two and a half hours, with no changes. The alternative is to take the train to Alicante and then ride up to Benidorm on the TRAM (the coastal tram) or by bus; it's slower, but the tram run along the shore is worth it. By car on the AP-7 motorway, the trip is about two hours depending on traffic.

If you're planning the day, check the events agenda first in case a festival or event lines up nearby.

Nearby plans to round out the day

Once there, Intempo is just the starter. Spend the morning on Levante beach or the quieter Poniente, climb up to the Balcón del Mediterráneo, and get lost in the old town, with its taverns and seafront corners. For nature, the Serra Gelada offers cliff-top walks with views of Benidorm island. And on the way back to València you can string the trip together with other spots in the area such as El Castell de Guadalest and the Algar waterfalls.

For more coast and nature ideas nearby, check our guides to beaches and places to see in the region.

Travelling with kids? The Aqualandia and Aqua Natura water parks are a stone’s throw from Intempo — for more family ideas, see our guide to what to do in Valencia with kids.