In short
Altea is the quiet neighbour between Benidorm and Calp: a white old town on a hill, pebble beaches and the village of Altea la Vella inland. Three things matter for residents. The hospital is the same as Benidorm’s — Marina Baixa in La Vila Joiosa. The town has its own foreigners’ office (OEX Altea). And TRAM Line 9 stops here three times, so you can get to Benidorm and Calp without a car.
Town hall and padrón
Town hall (Ajuntament d’Altea): Plaza de José María Planelles, tel. 96 584 13 00. The council’s e-office lists three online padrón procedures: a registration certificate or “volante”, a certificate of residents at the address (convivencia), and deregistration for foreigners moving abroad. New registration is not on that online list (checked 4 November 2026), so it is done in person at the town hall. Confirm the documents and opening hours by phone; generally you need an identity document and proof of address (rental contract or escritura).
Healthcare
- In a life-threatening emergency call 112. At night on weekdays and round the clock at weekends both clinics refer patients to Altea Health Centre on C/ Galotxa.
| Centre | Address and phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Altea Health Centre (continuous care here) | C/ Galotxa, s/n; appointments 966 816 130, urgent care 966 816 135 | Mon–Fri 8–21 (July–September 8–15); continuous care Mon–Fri 15–8, 24 hours on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays |
| Altea la Vella clinic | C/ Cura Llinares, 1; tel. 966 816 220 / 966 816 222 | Mon–Fri 8–15 |
| Altea Old Town clinic | C/ Villajoyosa, 3; tel. 966 816 128 | Mon–Fri 8–15 |
| Hospital Universitari Marina Baixa (public hospital) | Avda. Alcalde En Jaume Botella Mayor, s/n, La Vila Joiosa; switchboard 966 907 200 | TRAM: Line 9 to Benidorm, then change to Line 1 for the Hospital stop |
Beaches and dogs
Four Altea beaches hold the 2026 Blue Flag (ADEAC): Cap Blanch, El Bol, La Roda and L’Espigó, which regained its flag in 2026. The beaches are mostly pebbly, so water shoes help. With a dog, head to L’Olla: Benidorm’s tourist office lists it as an official dog beach, about 20 minutes’ drive from Benidorm, and the “Olla de Altea” TRAM station is nearby.
Market, transport and tourist office
- Tuesday market: according to the tourist office, clothes, shoes and accessories are in the Garganes area between Camino del Algar and the town hall square, and fruit, vegetables and flowers on C/ Filarmónica next to the square. The tourist office page is old, so check the location before you go.
- TRAM Line 9 (Benidorm–Dénia): Altea has the Altea, Olla de Altea and Cap Negret stations; the next one, El Albir, is already in L’Alfàs del Pi. For Alicante and the hospital, change to Line 1 in Benidorm. The new viaduct over the Algar river, built during the line’s modernisation, was named the province’s best public work of 2025 in October 2026.
- Tourist Info Altea: C/ Sant Pere, 14, tel. 96 584 41 14.
Foreigners’ paperwork: an office in Altea itself
The Alicante-province foreigners’ appointment system includes an “OEX Altea” office at C/ San Isidro Labrador, 1. The system shows which services are available on a given date once you choose your procedure. If Altea has no free dates, you can pick Benidorm or “any office” in the province.