CalpeNoticias EN

Friday, 23rd:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Saturday, 24th:

• • 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Swimming Day organised by the Xarxa Esportiva de la Marina at the municipal swimming pool.

• • ‘Misery Class’ with Goyo Jiménez. 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. Free admission until full capacity is reached.

Sunday, 25th:

• • 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • Sant Antoni del Porquet Festivity in Calpe at the La Merced Parish Church

10:45 a.m. – Procession from Plaza Mediterrrani to the La Merced Chucrh

11:30 a.m. – Blessing of the animals

12:00 p.m. – Mass

On Friday 6 February, Calpe Town Council will hold the 3rd Conference on ‘Ethics and Integrity in Public Procurement’, which will once again turn the town into a meeting point for public sector professionals committed to transparency, good governance and the improvement of procurement processes.

The conference will take place in the Auditorium of the Jaume Pastor i Fluixà Cultural Centre and will begin at 8:30 am with the collection of accreditations. The official opening will be at 9:15 am. This third edition is mainly aimed at technical staff and public officials involved in contract management, with the aim of offering them practical tools to reinforce integrity, legal certainty and control of public spending.

The programme will combine high-level legal and technical presentations. At 9:30 a.m., Manuel Fueyo Bros, Local Administration Comptroller and Trustee of the Principality of Asturias Audit Office, will address ‘The importance of bid evaluation formulae. After a coffee break at 10:45 a.m., at 11:30 a.m. Javier Martínez Hellín, Deputy Secretary of the Villena City Council and Associate Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Alicante, will give a presentation on the ‘Study of labour costs in service contracts and service concessions´.

At 12:45 p.m., Beatriz María Vigo Martín, Comptroller General of the Madrid City Council, will focus her presentation on ‘Control of Intervention in Framework Agreements and Dynamic Procurement Systems.’ At 2:00 p.m., a working cocktail reception is planned to facilitate the exchange of experiences among attendees.

The afternoon session will resume at 3:15 p.m. with the conference ‘Criminal Law and Public Procurement,’ by María Ángeles Jareño Leal, Professor of Criminal Law at the Universidad de Valencia. At 4:30 p.m. Gabriele Vestri, Professor of Procedural Law at the Universidad de Sevilla President of the Public Sector and Artificial Intelligence Observatory, will present the ‘Strategic Plan for the Implementation and Purchase of AI in Public Administration’, analysing the opportunities and risks of using these technologies in procurement processes. The closing ceremony is scheduled for 5:45 p.m., followed by a closing dinner at 8:30 p.m.

Registration will remain open until 28 January via the form accessible through the QR code included in the conference information material. Participation is free of charge until full capacity is reached.

The conference is organised by Calpe Town Council in collaboration with Alicante Provincial Council, the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces and the Official Association of Secretaries, Auditors and Treasurers of Local Government. With this third edition, Calpe consolidates its commitment to continuous training and integrity in the management of public resources.

This week, the Calpe Local Police began accompanying the five buses that transport CEIP Oltà students to the new temporary school, located in the Gargasindi district.

With the start of classes after the Christmas holidays, the 402 pupils of CEIP Oltà began attending classes in the modules installed in the Gargasindi district, next to IES Les Salines. However, the transfer of pupils by bus to the new school was not initially authorised, as it was considered that the access road to the centre did not meet the necessary requirements for regular traffic of vehicles of this size, especially at peak times of access to the area.

This meant that the CEIP Oltà buses, after picking up the pupils at the three designated stops (Health Centre and Casa de Cultura / Plaza Mayor), made their final stop on the road in front of the Parc de la Creatividad, and from there, the pupils walked to the school along a designated path of about 400 metres.

Finally, the departments of Education and Safety and Mobility have reached an agreement with the Regional Ministry of Education, so that the buses can reach the school itself, escorted by two Local Police vehicles. Thus, the five school buses of CEIP Oltà gather on Felipe VI Road (before the intersection with Casanova Avenue) and, from there, are accompanied by the Local Police, who can intervene in case of any traffic complications until they arrive at the school.

Once classes are over, the local police escort the school buses again: three buses leave at 2:15 p.m., one at 3:45 p.m. and, finally, the last bus at 5:00 p.m.

To avoid traffic jams and congestion, a 15-minute margin has been established for pick-up and drop-off times at the stops.

This measure prevents CEIP Oltà students, some of whom are very young, from having to walk the 400 metres between the bus stop in front of the Parc de la Creatividad and the school and allows them to enter and leave the school grounds in complete safety.

Calpe Town Council today established the Commemorative Committee for the 50th anniversary of the “Moros y Cristianos” festival, a body responsible for designing and coordinating the programme of special events that will take place throughout 2026 and 2027 to mark this anniversary. The aim of the commemoration is to strengthen and raise the profile of the festival and to advance the recognition of the “Moros y Cristianos” Festival in honour of the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.

The committee, attached to the Mayor's Office, is chaired by Mayoress Ana Sala Fernández and has the Councillor for Festivals, Mariola Mulet Ronda, as vice-chair and commissioner for the 50th anniversary. This body includes representatives from the City Council (tourism, culture and communication experts and one representative from each municipal group), the Association of “Moros y Cristianos”, including its president Rocío Pastor Pastor and long-standing members of different groups, as well as the local parish priest, Vicente Martínez Agulló. In total, more than twenty people linked to the world of festivals and municipal management will work together to design the commemoration.

At the first working meeting, the general outline of the commemorative programme was outlined, which will include photography, poster and festive costume competitions, a festive music contest and a series of talks on different aspects of the festival, its history and its evolution in the municipality. The organisation of a grand commemorative gala and a day of festive conviviality has also been proposed.

The committee has also proposed updating a specific socio-economic study to analyse the impact of the “Moros y Cristianos”, festival on the local economy and on Calpe's tourism profile. Looking ahead to 2027, the year in which the 50th anniversary celebrations will culminate, the festival is expected to have a prominent presence at FITUR, where it will be specifically promoted as one of the municipality's main cultural and festive attractions.

At the same time, the Town Council has begun the process of having this commemoration recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.

With the establishment of this commission, Calpe Town Council is taking the first step towards putting together a comprehensive and participatory programme that will highlight half a century of festive history and reinforce the link between the “Moros y Cristianos”, festival and the identity and social life of the town.

Calpe Town Council will host the 9th edition of the ‘Flors d'Honor’ awards ceremony for the ‘Viles en Flor’ programme, promoted by the Asfplant Foundation (Professional Association of Flowers, Plants and Horticultural Technology of the Valencian Region). The event will be held on 6 November and will bring together municipal representatives, authorities and professionals from the sector to recognise the best projects for the management of green areas and the improvement of the urban landscape in the Valencian Region. So far, 55 municipalities in the Valencian Region have confirmed their participation in this new edition of the programme.

‘Viles en Flor’ aims to highlight the work carried out by municipalities in the creation, conservation and sustainable management of their green spaces, as well as in environmental education and raising public awareness about caring for the environment. The programme also seeks to reinforce the image of the participating municipalities as attractive destinations committed to quality of life and sustainability.

Calpe is participating in ‘Viles en Flor’ for the sixth consecutive year and in the last edition it revalidated the three ‘Flors d'Honor’, consolidating its position as one of the Valencian benchmarks in terms of sustainability and respect for the environment. In recent years, the municipality has developed various initiatives to improve urban tree cover, landscaping and the protection of natural spaces, including the Peñón de Ifach Natural Park and the Calpe Salt Flats, a protected wetland and an enclave of great value for biodiversity.

The Foundation's managing director, José Forcadell, pointed out that ‘the Viles en Flor project demonstrates that urban greenery is a key tool for improving quality of life, strengthening local identity and promoting more balanced development. We encourage Valencian municipalities to join this initiative, which highlights the collective effort to build more sustainable, healthy and attractive spaces for residents and visitors’.

For her part, the Mayor of Calpe, Ana Sala, stressed that participation in this programme ‘is recognition of the work that has been done for years in favour of the environment and sustainability. Being part of Viles en Flor allows us to share experiences with other municipalities, learn new ways of managing public space and continue moving towards a greener, friendlier city model that is committed to its natural environment’.

Calpe Town Council has taken stock of the ‘Calpe 2025 Trade Voucher’ campaign, launched to encourage shopping in local shops and support citizens registered in the municipality. The initiative, aimed at people over the age of 18, has mobilised a total of €477,380.66 in participating establishments.

This campaign has been carried out through the Calpe Business Association (AEMCO) and 91 local businesses with fewer than 50 employees have signed up. The campaign consisted of issuing vouchers worth €20, €50 and €100, 50% of which were subsidised by the Town Council, so that each registered resident could purchase up to €100 in vouchers, paying only half the price, and then redeem them in participating establishments.

Between 26 November and 14 December, 6,252 vouchers were sold for a total of €374,390. Of these, 6,189 vouchers were redeemed, for a total value of €370,920. The municipal contribution in the form of a direct subsidy to retailers amounted to €185,460, representing 92.73% of the maximum amount of €200,000.

The real economic impact on the commercial fabric was greater than the value of the vouchers, as purchases had to be of an amount equal to or greater than the value of the voucher. Thus, in addition to the €370,920 redeemed in vouchers, additional purchases worth €106,460.66 were made, bringing the total injection of money into businesses to €477,380.66, an increase of 28.70% over the amount of the vouchers.

The campaign had a specific platform, www.bonocomerciocalp.es, for managing vouchers and validating receipts, and various communication actions were carried out in coordination with AEMCO and FACPYME, ranging from dissemination on social networks, radio adverts, telephone support, the creation of an email address for resolving queries and problems, and the use of instant messaging for establishments and users.

With these results, Calpe Town Council has consolidated the Bono Comercio campaign as an effective tool for supporting local businesses, building customer loyalty and stimulating purchases in local shops during the end-of-year period.

Calpe Town Council has begun improvement and maintenance work on the asphalt pavement on various roads in the municipality, which will involve the renovation of an area of approximately 40,000 square metres. The aim of the work is to replace the wearing course on those sections where the road surface has deteriorated significantly due to the passage of time, inclement weather and heavy traffic, especially during the summer months.

The scope of the project focuses mainly on the areas of Bassetes, Calalga, Caleta and La Fossa, where a total of 18 sections of different streets will be resurfaced and the pavements repaired, with the aim of improving both road safety and pedestrian conditions in these residential and tourist areas of the municipality.

The work is scheduled to take place between 22 January and 13 February, although this timetable may be adjusted depending on technical conditions or weather factors. The investment amounts to a total of €647,000, mainly for the renewal of the asphalt and various other measures such as the removal of tree roots and the repair of deformations where necessary to ensure the durability of the new pavement.

The project also includes a specific intervention to improve pedestrian accessibility on Avenida Rosa de los Vientos and the adjacent roads, by lowering the existing pedestrian crossings and adapting the driveways to current accessibility regulations. The aim is to facilitate the mobility of people with disabilities, the elderly, pushchairs and pedestrians in general.

During the period of the works, there may be occasional traffic disruptions and parking restrictions on the affected streets. Calpe Town Council recommends that citizens pay attention to the temporary signage and instructions from the municipal services, as well as the official channels of the Town Council, which will provide information on any traffic disruptions that may occur.

Calpe Town Council will present a new tourism campaign at Fitur with the aim of promoting the destination in the low season. This is a pioneering campaign, unlike anything that has been done before, which aims to differentiate the municipality from other destinations with similar characteristics to Calpe and, at the same time, contribute to its de-seasonalisation.

The campaign, which has the slogan ‘Everything that's good is in Calpe’, will focus on promoting active, gastronomic and cultural tourism in the destination during the autumn, winter and spring months. A video has been produced showing all these aspects of Calpe's tourist attraction, which was filmed in winter.

Unlike previous campaigns, the new campaign seeks to target audiences other than families, such as adults travelling alone or with friends, or those who choose destinations for sports or other activities or to enjoy nature. And all this from an inclusive point of view, another new feature of this initiative. In this sense, Calpe aims to promote itself as a destination for people with functional diversity as well as for LGTBIQ+ people.

Among the attractions to be promoted this year, the festivals also stand out as a cultural tourist resource to be promoted. To this end, a specific video has been produced featuring the most notable celebrations on the municipality's festive calendar as an incentive to visit the municipality outside the high season. The video will be screened at the presentation of the 50th anniversary of the Moors and Christians festival, which will also take place at Fitur.

‘This is an unusual campaign, in which we are launching a very different proposal, based on the promotion of the autumn, winter and spring seasons and inclusive, in which we are moving away from the traditional tourism model. In this way, we aim to promote the de-seasonalisation that will lead to greater sustainability for Calpe as a destination,’ said Mireia Ripoll, Councillor for Tourism Planning.

The campaign will be presented at Fitur on 22 January at 3 p.m. This is Calpe's programme of events for this tourism event:

22 January

• 1 p.m. Presentation of LGBTQ+ events on the Costa Blanca, models of success (L'Orxa i Calpe). In Hall 9. Stand Turisme Comunitat Valenciana.
• 3 pm. Presentation of Calpe's new video and tourism campaign. Hall 7. Costa Blanca stand.
• 4.30 pm. Presentation of the Smart Tourist Destination Award by SEGITTUR. Fitur know-how & Sports Auditorium. Hall 12.
• 5.15 p.m. Announcement of the start of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Moros y Cristianos and video of the Calpe festivities. Hall 7. Costa Blanca stand.

Friday, 16:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to  Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Register at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 8 p.m. Hypnosis and mentalism show. Toni Pons presents ‘Tu otro yo’ (Your other self). Casa de Cultura Auditorium (Av. Masnou, 1).

Saturday, 17:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Sunday, 18:

• 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12:00 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 11 a.m. Mass and subsequent blessing of animals for the feast of San Antonio del Porquet at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church

Calpe Town Council has closed the 2025 fiscal year consolidating a growth trend in terms of its cultural offering. According to data collected in the annual report prepared by the Department of Culture, a total of 33,839 people attended its programmed activities in 2025, representing an increase of almost 26% compared to 2024, when 26,924 users were recorded.

This increase has been supported by a significant strengthening of the programme promoted by the Council. Throughout 2025, a total of 264 activities were conducted, a figure that exceeds the 227 proposals of the previous year and is well above the 151 programmed in 2023. In just two years, the cultural offering managed by the Council has increased by around 75%, translating into almost 10,000 more attendees than two years ago.

In terms of analysis by type, last year's programme stood out for its variety and the notable boost in the performing arts, with 49 theatre performances, doubling the 22 performances recorded in the previous year.

The rest of the programme was completed with the organisation of 52 music concerts, 15 film screenings, 10 dance performances and 138 other activities, including exhibitions, conferences, institutional events, and guided tours.

At a press conference today, Calpe Town Council presented the new organisation of its departments and the update of its councillors' responsibilities, with the aim of offering more efficient, specialised management that is closer to the public.

ANA SALA FERNÁNDEZ

TERRITORY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRATEGIC PROJECTS

Urban planning, granting of planning permits, environmental and opening licences, business park and strategic projects.

GUILLERMO SENDRA GUARDIOLA

CULTURE, MOBILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Culture, old town, historical and monumental heritage, cultural centre, municipal library, museums, public safety, local police and civil protection, traffic, emergencies, taxis, urban mobility and the 2026-2036 Urban Transport Plan.

XIMO PERLES PÉREZ

SPORTS, HOUSING, ECONOMIC AND TOURISM PROMOTION, INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE AND INTERNAL REGIME

Sports, domestic drinking water supply, sewerage, water treatment and sanitation, procurement, heritage, municipal inventory and internal regime.

PAQUI SOLIVELLES SENDRA

FINANCE, AUDIT AND TREASURY, SUBSIDIES, HUMAN RESOURCES AND OAC

Budgets, tax collection and treasury services, human resources, approving public job offers, hiring Corporation staff, municipal staff discipline, employment plans, Citizen Services and Registry Office, subsidies and Consortium for the Economic Recovery of the Marina Alta (CREAMA).

MARIOLA MULET RONDA

EDUCATION, SEA AND FESTIVALS

Education, nursery and primary schools, Silene Nursery School, IES Ifach, IES Les Salines, University Campus, EPA, Pla Edificant, Festivals: popular heritage and traditions, productive sectors ‘de la mar i de la terra’ (from the sea and the land) and ports.

REBECA MERCHÁN DÍAZ

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, SENIOR CITIZENS, YOUTH AND INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS

Citizen participation, transparency and open government, institutional communication, defending citizens in their relations with the City Council, associations, Civic Centre, senior citizens, relations with other public administrations.

ITZIAR DOVAL CÁMARA

SOCIAL INCLUSION, EQUALITY AND FAMILY

Social services, equality, gender violence, family, childhood, adolescence, LGTBI community, non-governmental organisations, Day Centre, Maite Boronat Centre, Health Protection, health centres and second health centre.

PEDRO MOLL LEUCHTER

ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMAL WELFARE

Green areas, beaches, promenades, environment, Agenda 2030, sustainable development goals, climate change, Les Salines Natural Park, solar streetlights, animal welfare, fire prevention and extinction.

MARCO BITTNER

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR SUBSIDIES, INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS, EUROPEAN RELATIONS, IT AND USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INTERNATIONAL TOURISM PROMOTION, TWINNING AND THE PARK OF ETERNAL REST.

IT, modernisation of the administration, information and communication technologies, SmartCity, use of artificial intelligence, international tourism promotion, twinning and the Park of Eternal Rest, and grants. Special delegate for the Wanderlust project, Edusi and Next Generation Funds.

MIREIA RIPOLL

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR TOURISM PLANNING, HOUSING, CLEANING OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND URBAN SIGNAGE

Tourism planning, housing, urban signage and cleaning of public buildings. Municipal housing plan 2026-2030.

ÁLEX COCA MALAGÓN

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR YOUTH, ECONOMIC PROMOTION, URBAN QUALITY, COMMERCE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

Economic promotion, employment, commerce, sedentary sales, non-sedentary sales, consumption and Consumer Information Office (OMIC); urban developments; urban quality and image works and services; street cleaning; waste collection and treatment; public lighting, road painting, parks and gardens. Youth, Youth Information Centre, Punt Jove and Youth Information Point.

This week, reconstruction work began on the access road to the Balcón de Bernia residential area. This is the road whose retaining wall collapsed because of the rains in 2022. The road is currently completely undermined in the area where the wall collapsed, although a reinforced concrete wall has been built by the community of owners of the residential complex. However, the services are in a precarious state, with temporary connections and completely exposed to the elements.

The work, which began with clearing tasks, will consist of demolishing the road surface affected by the collapse of the wall, filling in the wall, compacting the fill, aligning the curbstones, and replacing the existing services. Subsequently, the asphalt gravel layer will be laid, the pavements will be rebuilt, and the road will be painted.

The supply network, which is currently laid provisionally, will also be replaced, a new drain grate will be installed at the lowest point of the road to improve drainage in the area, and work will be carried out to channel the low-voltage underground line.

This part of the work was awarded to the company Vives Dalmau for €190,271, with a completion period of three months.

The mayor, Ana Sala, said, ‘We want to restore normality to that area of the Empedrola residential area, which affected the owners and caused considerable concern on the part of everyone due to the rains that caused a lot of damage and forced the residents to evacuate.’

This morning, Calpe Town Hall experienced a fire outbreak caused by an electrical short circuit, forcing the preventive evacuation of municipal staff and citizens who were inside the building.

The incident occurred shortly before 12 noon, when smoke was detected coming from one of the ceiling panels on the third floor, as well as melting plastic on the affected ceiling panel. Following an inspection by the municipal electrical brigade, a small flame was confirmed above the ceiling.

The local police extinguished the fire using two CO₂ extinguishers. Members of the Provincial Fire Brigade went to the Town Hall and confirmed, using thermal cameras, that the fire had been completely extinguished. Civil Guard officers also participated in the operation and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

The rapid response of all the security and emergency services and agencies involved meant that Town Hall staff and members of the public were able to re-enter the building at around 12.40 pm.

Álex Coca Malagón has been sworn in as councillor for Calpe Town Council, representing the Somos Calpe municipal group, at the extraordinary plenary session held this afternoon. Coca replaces Juan Manuel del Pino, who resigned as councillor at the plenary session in December when the municipal budget was finally approved, following his decision to leave political life.

The mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala, presented him with the insignia and institutional medal and welcomed him to the corporation and to the new stage he is beginning in the service of the public interest. In her speech, Sala highlighted Álex Coca's youth, enthusiasm and eagerness to take on challenges.

The delegations that the new councillor will assume are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Friday, 9:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
• 6pm-7pm - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.

Saturday, 10:

• • 10am, 11:30am and 1pm - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 6pm-7pm - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 7:30 pm - Concert ‘Una visión a dos pianos’ (A vision for two pianos), by pianists Rosa Blanco and Javier Otero Neira. Free admission. Auditorium.

Sunday, 11th:

• • From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Calpe Town Council, through the Jaume Pastor i Fluixà Cultural Centre, will offer live opera and ballet from the Royal Opera House in London this season thanks to an agreement with The Royal Ballet and Opera. Through this agreement, the council will broadcast five productions from the prestigious British institution free of charge, bringing some of the major international performing arts events to the municipality.

This initiative positions the Casa de Cultura de Calpe, and by extension the Town Council, as a pioneering space in the province, offering world-class performances in real time and with completely free access for the public. The municipal objective is for the residents of Calpe to be able to enjoy an artistic experience comparable to that experienced on the stage of Covent Garden, without having to travel abroad.

The agreed programme includes two ballets and three operas from the current London season. In the ballet section, the innovative piece ‘Woolf Works’, inspired by the work of the writer Virginia Woolf, will be screened, as well as the romantic classic ‘Giselle’, one of the benchmark titles in the international repertoire. As for opera, the planned programme brings together three masterpieces: Giuseppe Verdi's ‘La Traviata’, “Siegfried” —part of Richard Wagner's ‘Ring Cycle’ tetralogy— and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ‘The Magic Flute’.

Calpe Town Council is confident that this new offer will be enthusiastically received by regular classical and opera music audiences and that it will also help to attract new spectators, thanks to the spectacular high-definition broadcasts and the unique opportunity to watch live productions from the Royal Opera House.

The sessions will be free of charge until full capacity is reached. To check the dates and times of each performance, those interested can visit the Casa de Cultura itself or consult the programme on the website and on the official communication channels of Calpe Town Council.

This Friday, 9 January, Calpe will host the conference ‘Sport as a driving force for tourism on the Costa Blanca’, an event that aims to analyse the role of sport as a strategic tool for tourism and regional development.

The conference is organised by the Costa Blanca Tourist Board and the Institute for Spanish Sports Quality (ICDE), in collaboration with Estimar Hotels, Hosbec and Calp Town Council, and will bring together institutional representatives and professionals from the tourism and sports sectors at the Hotel Estimar Calpe Suitopia. It will also include the official presentation of the Spanish Sports Quality Seal to the Gran Hotel Sol y Mar and the Hotel Estimar Suitopia, making them the first hotels in Spain to achieve this certification of excellence.

The meeting is aimed at institutional leaders, hotel chain executives, facility managers, sports tourism companies, tour operators, event organisers and sports professionals.

The Second Vice-President and Minister of the Presidency of the Valencian Regional Government, Pepe Díez, will open the conference, which will begin at 4 p.m., and the Mayor of Calp, Ana Sala, will close it.

The round table discussion ‘Sport as a driving force for tourism on the Costa Blanca’ will be the central event of this meeting. Moderated by the Director General of the Alicante Tourist Board, José Mancebo, it will feature the participation of the President of the Spanish Sports Association (ADESP), José Hidalgo, the Director General of Sports of the Valencian Regional Government, Luis Cervera, the Provincial Deputy for Tourism of Alicante and Mayor of La Nucia, Bernabé Cano, the President of the International Institute for Excellence and Sports Certification (IINS) and Director General of the Institute for Spanish Sports Quality (ICDE), África Álvarez, the Secretary General of Hosbec, Nuria Montes, the Soudal – Quick Step Team cyclist Mikel Landa, and the Commercial Director of Estimar Hotels, Sergio Baudot.

After the round table, the Spanish Sports Excellence certifications will be presented to the two hotels in Calpe.

The Tourism Department has already designed its calendar of tourism exhibitions for the first quarter of the year, marking a strategy that combines promotion in traditional markets with the opening of new key markets in order to maintain current occupancy levels and also to de-seasonalise the tourist season.

The calendar kicks off in January, from the 15th to the 18th, with the Matka 2026 Exhibition in Helsinki, a exhibition at which Calpe will have a significant presence and at which the municipality is scheduled to make a presentation as part of a cycle dedicated to the Costa Blanca. It is the most important international exhibition not only in Finland, but in all the Nordic countries. The number of visitors increases substantially each year and in 2025 there were more than 56,000 visitors.

The Tourism Department will also be present at Fitur from 21 to 25 January. The Madrid Exhibition is a traditional event at which Calpe presents the latest developments for the tourist season.

From 14 to 16 February, Calpe is scheduled to participate in Fiets en Wandelbeurs, the trade exhibition in Utrecht, which is a very important market for Calpe, promoting cycle tourism, hiking and the attractions of the municipality as a healthy destination. It is a market with a very specific objective and a high return on investment.

And from 20 to 22 February, Calpe will be at Ferie for Alle Herning 2026. The aim is to delve into the rapidly growing Danish tourism market, and this generalist exhibition also allows us to showcase the diversity of the municipality. Various workshops are planned with wholesale companies within MCH Travel Connect, a free professional meeting on the day before the exhibition opens, which is an excellent opportunity to optimise commercial contacts, strengthen collaborations and generate new business opportunities.

And in March, the unmissable tourism event is ITB Berlin, which takes place from 3 to 5 March and this year celebrates its 60th edition. This is one of the world's major tourism events and a business platform for global tourism: countries, cities and regions, tour operators, online booking portals and hotels, and many other service providers from more than 180 countries present their products and services there.

Calpe's aim at the Berlin Exhibition is to increase its visibility and prestige as a destination among a diverse international audience. To capture the attention and interest of potential customers, partners and the media for advertising campaigns in Germany.

Marco Bitnner, Councillor for International Promotion, pointed out that "this calendar of international exhibitions reflects our commitment to tourism that seeks excellence, not volume. Calpe should be recognised as a healthy place, both for those who visit us and for those who live here all year round.

We are committed to the sustainability that comes with de-seasonalisation and the prosperity generated by the diversification of our audience. We seek respectful visitors who value what we are: a destination where nature, indigenous culture and well-being coexist. The idea of a Calpe that looks to the future without losing its essence, that grows without losing quality of life, and that welcomes those who share our values with hospitality".

Calpe Town Council has installed an artistic railing entitled ‘Love of the sea... love’, which pays homage to Calpe's links with the sea and the fishing industry, the traditional driving force behind the municipality's economy.

The Mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala, inaugurated the work this morning. It was designed and crafted in galvanised iron by the Xàbia sculptor Toni Marí and has been installed next to the low wall at the end of Castelló Street, which offers views of La Fossa beach.

The artistic railing represents the Posidonia meadow adorned with different marine species typical of Calpe, such as llampuga, sea bream, white prawns and octopus. It also features poems written by Joaquín Roselló, who was a deep-sea fishing skipper.

In addition to Marí and Roselló, the ceremony was also attended by the head of the Fishermen's Guild, Paco Catalá, and the former Councillor for Infrastructure, Juan Manuel del Pino, who promoted this initiative to mark the centenary of the Fishermen's Guild.

Calpe Town Council has launched a tender for a totem pole with a lifesaving system to be installed in Cala Mallorquí to prevent drownings in this area, where incidents have been recorded in recent years. In 2023, a similar totem was installed on the Princesa de Asturias promenade, opposite La Rocaplana. It is a fixed stainless-steel structure that is completely autonomous as it has a solar panel and battery, making it an active safety point 24 hours a day.

The intention is for this installation, like the one installed on the Princesa de Asturias promenade, to contain life-saving devices that inflate automatically on contact with water. The operation is simple. To use these devices, you must break the glass of the totem, pick up one of the lifesavers and throw it to the person in distress. The device inflates on contact with water in just a few seconds and is reusable.

In addition, when it is used, breaking the glass activates an acoustic and light alert system in the area, and the totem has two buttons that, when pressed, alert the local police or 112.

The tender for the procurement of this rescue system also includes its maintenance and that of the system already installed on the Paseo Princesa de Asturias for 36 months. The tender budget is €25,289.