Ferizaj (Uroševac), Kosovo

Capital City

With a population of 144,752, this Kosovar city is hardly the idyllic mountain retreat some expats dream of. The tax burden is heavy, and bureaucracy is a persistent headache. During the Balkan Wars, the city saw ethnic violence, with Serbian churches destroyed and non-Albanians expelled or forced to flee. While the Big Mosque and St. Uroš Orthodox Cathedral stand as symbols of religious tolerance, the city's history is marked by conflict. Ferizaj's geographic location - halfway between Pristina and Skopje - makes it a convenient transit hub, but the humid subtropical climate can be oppressive in the summertime. Those seeking a quiet life in Kosovo would do better to look elsewhere.