Kinezis Sports Club

Kinezis Sports Club is a fitness and exercise club in Vinkovci, a town in the Slavonian plain in eastern Croatia, and it appears in this guide as a practical stop for travellers who want to keep up their routine while on the road. It is not a sightseeing attraction in the usual sense, and the best way to describe it is as a local facility that is open to visitors as well as residents. The club is found on a residential street, and it is used mainly by people from the town for classes and workouts in the evening.

Clubs of this type in Croatian towns usually offer a mixture of activities: group exercise classes such as aerobics, circuit training, pilates or functional training, a small gym with weights and machines, and sometimes personal training or health-oriented programmes. They tend to be run by a small team of instructors who know the regulars, and the atmosphere is friendly and informal, which makes it easy for a newcomer to join in. The club's opening hours are limited to certain evenings, and it is closed at weekends, so plan carefully if you want to use it, and confirm the hours and the price of a single visit by telephone or by messaging the club, since arrangements for visitors are not widely published.

Bring sports clothes, indoor shoes, a towel and a bottle of water, and arrive a few minutes early to register and ask about the class level. If you have health issues, tell the instructor beforehand. Language is rarely a problem, since many instructors in Croatia speak some English, and exercise is easy to follow by example. Most guests spend a couple of hours at the facility, including a class and some time to relax afterwards.

Vinkovci itself is a town with a long history, and a visit to the club can be combined with seeing some of its other sights. The Roman city of Cibalae, which lies beneath the town centre and is listed in this guide, was the birthplace of two Roman emperors, and the town museum displays finds from many periods. Vinkovci is also known for an autumn festival of folk culture and music, held in September, which draws visitors from across the region. The surrounding countryside is flat and fertile, with wheat and maize fields, and the Bosut forest and the nearby Vučedol archaeological site are within reach.

The club suits travellers who stay in the town for a few days, business visitors and anyone who prefers to follow a regular exercise routine. Allow one to two hours.