Itabira, Brazil

This industrial city in the heart of Minas Gerais is no idyllic retreat - its population of 85,606 contends with heavy air pollution from decades-old iron ore mining. As the "Capital of Poetry" and birthplace of renowned poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Itabira has a cultured pedigree, but the persistent bureaucratic headaches of living in a regional economic hub can quickly dampen that romantic appeal. With its strategic location 110 kilometers from the state capital Belo Horizonte, Itabira may appeal to those drawn to its role as a transportation and mining hub, but the environmental toll of those industries is a persistent concern.