Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Capital City

Living in Pale is a far cry from the alpine idyll its ski resorts suggest. With a population of just 22,282 as of 2013, this Republika Srpska town has a long history of ethnic conflict, including the brutal Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, where over 10,000 civilians were killed. While the local economy centers around the timber trade and the nearby Jahorina ski resort, bureaucracy remains a persistent headache, as evidenced by the town's shifting administrative status over the centuries. For the adventurous few willing to brave the region's turbulent past, Pale may offer a slice of small-town Bosnian life - but most would be wise to look elsewhere.