Bobruysk, Belarus

Capital City

With a population of just over 205,000, Bobruysk is a gritty, industrial hub that offers little in the way of modern comforts. The city's once-thriving timber and chemical industries have left a legacy of pollution, while the punishing winters common to Belarus's continental climate can be a shock to the system. And for those concerned about safety, the city's history is marred by pogroms and the horrors of the Nazi occupation, which saw over 20,000 Jews murdered. In short, Bobruysk is a place of persistent bureaucratic headaches and hardship - not the tranquil, picturesque escape many foreign transplants may envision. Those seeking an easy, carefree life abroad would do well to look elsewhere.