Rio Tinto, Portugal

With a population of just 50,713, Rio Tinto is a modest Portuguese city that lacks the glamour and excitement of its more famous neighbor Porto. The bureaucracy here can be a persistent headache, as the city's transition to official city status in 1995 has done little to streamline the local government. While the surrounding landscape offers some natural beauty, the climate is unremarkable and hardly the draw it might be in other parts of the country. Overall, Rio Tinto is best suited for those seeking a quiet, unassuming life on the outskirts of a larger metropolitan area, rather than an adventurous relocation.