Gizycko, Poland

This windswept lakeside town in northeast Poland has a population of just 28,233 - hardly the bustling metropolis some expats dream of. The reality is a persistent bureaucratic headache, with the legacy of German and Soviet occupation still evident in the town's administration. While Giżycko's 14th century Teutonic castle and Masurian lakeside setting may attract tourists, the harsh winters and lingering Polish-German tensions make this a challenging place for all but the most resilient of foreign residents.