Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Capital City

With a population of 68,514, Doboj is hardly the idyllic Balkan haven many foreign transplants imagine. This northern Bosnian city has seen its fair share of turmoil, from the Austro-Hungarian concentration camp that claimed 12,000 lives during World War I to the ethnic cleansing and mass graves uncovered after the Bosnian War. While the city boasts a vibrant cafe culture, the bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the climate can be harsh, with periodic flooding that has wreaked havoc. Those seeking a quiet, trouble-free life in the former Yugoslavia would do well to look elsewhere.