Fürth, Germany

With a population of just 132,032, Fürth may seem like a sleepy backwater, but the bureaucracy here is a persistent headache. The city's long history as part of the Bishopric of Bamberg and later Bavaria has left a tangle of regulations, and the average sunshine duration of 1,766 hours per year can feel gloomy. Yet Fürth's well-preserved historic center, with its high density of 17 monuments per 1,000 inhabitants, offers a charming counterpoint to the red tape. Those seeking a quaint German town with a Jewish cultural legacy and easy access to the larger Nuremberg metropolitan area may find Fürth an appealing - if occasionally frustrating - destination.