Dubrovnik opens first new retirement centre in more than 50 years

(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)

DUBROVNIK, 27 June 2026 – Dubrovnik has officially marked the completion of the Ragusa Elderly Care Centre, the city’s first major retirement home to be built since 1971.

The new facility, opened in the presence of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, is the largest elderly care home in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and represents the biggest single investment undertaken during the current City of Dubrovnik administration.

Prime Minister Plenković said the project reflects the government’s commitment to improving care and services for older citizens. He noted that the Dubrovnik centre is the fourth such facility opened in Croatia within the past month.

The Croatian Government is currently co-financing the construction of 18 elderly care centres across the country, which will provide 1,850 new residential places and services for more than 4,500 users. Alongside residential accommodation, the centres will also offer a range of community-based and non-residential support services.

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković described the completion of the centre as the fulfilment of a long-standing promise to provide dignified care for the city’s elderly population. He thanked the Croatian Government for its financial support, saying the project was made possible through cooperation between the Government, the City of Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)

Located next to Dubrovnik General Hospital, the Ragusa Elderly Care Centre covers more than 10,700 square metres and offers accommodation for 205 residents in single and double rooms. Of these, 125 beds are intended for people requiring the highest level of daily care.

The centre will also provide day care services for up to 75 users, while an additional 410 elderly people living in their own homes will receive community-based support, including home assistance and meal delivery.

The total cost of constructing the centre amounted to €22.89 million, including VAT. Of this, more than €6.13 million was financed through grants from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. A further €2.38 million was invested in furnishing and equipping the facility with medical, therapeutic, technological and electronic equipment.

The centre has been designed to provide comprehensive elderly care, with a particular focus on supporting people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)

Residents and users will have access to on-site medical services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation facilities, while community services are intended to help older people remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

Additional facilities include a chapel, dining hall, café, computer room, multifunctional hall for cultural and community events, hairdressing and beauty services, a shop, therapy rooms, a sensory room, landscaped therapeutic gardens and an outdoor bowling court.

(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)

The opening ceremony was attended by several government ministers, local officials and representatives of regional and national institutions. The event also featured a performance by Klapa Kaše, while the new building was blessed by Dubrovnik Bishop Roko Glasnović.