Euclides da Cunha, Brazil

With a population of just 61,456, Euclides da Cunha is a far cry from the glitz and glamour of Brazil's major cities. The town, named after the famous Brazilian writer and engineer, offers little in the way of modern amenities or infrastructure. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the military-school educated Cunha himself discovered after being expelled and then readmitted. And while the lush Amazonian landscape may have inspired Cunha's seminal work "Os Sertões," the reality on the ground is a far cry from the romantic ideal. This sleepy backwater is best suited for those seeking an off-the-grid existence, far from the hustle and bustle of urban Brazil.