Cristina Ánchel Estebas was born in Spain and began to study flute at the Torrent Conservatory of Music in Valencia, where she obtained the highest classifications. She continued her training at the Oscar Esplá Conservatory in Alicante, where she graduated with the highest mark. She also attended further training courses at the Mozarteum Salzburg and at the Bachakademie Stuttgart. In 2001 she won the Pedro Bote International Music Competition in Villafranca de los Barros.

She has worked with several orchestras including European Symphony Orchestra, Valencia Classical Orchestra, Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, Orquesta de Camara Reina Sofia, Malaga Symphony Orchestra, Valencia Symphony Orchestra, Asturias Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia de Bilbau, Madrid Symphony Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Spain. As a soloist, she has played works by Mozart, Ibert, C. P. E. Bach and J. S. Bach, with the Orchestra of the University of Valencia and the Extremadura Symphony Orchestra. As a member of the Carl Nielsen Chamber Ensemble, she has performed at music festivals all over Spain.

Between 2000 and 2007, Cristina Ánchel was a flute soloist with the Extremadura Symphony Orchestra. She is now 1st soloist at the Gulbenkian Orchestra, which she joined in 2007.