Elk (Ełk), Poland

Capital City

With just 60,390 residents, Elk (Ełk) is a small city in northeastern Poland - hardly the bustling metropolis some may envision. The tax burden is heavy, and bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the city's long history of Polish-German tensions and periodic anti-immigrant violence. Yet Elk remains an important regional hub, home to food processing and a growing rail network. For those seeking a quiet life in a provincial Polish town, Elk may fit the bill, but the gritty realities of life in this former Prussian outpost are a far cry from the picturesque countryside.