Shamkhor, Azerbaijan

With a population of just 35,421, Shamkhor is a sleepy backwater that offers little beyond the remnants of a tragic historical event. The 1918 massacre, in which Azerbaijani forces killed hundreds - perhaps thousands - of Russian soldiers, looms large over the city's history. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the climate can be unforgiving. Shamkhor is hardly the ideal destination for those seeking a dynamic, cosmopolitan experience abroad.