Braila, Romania

Capital City

This port city on the Danube is no postcard paradise. With a population of just 154,686, Brăila is the 11th largest city in Romania, but its glory days as a thriving commercial hub are long gone. The ethnic makeup is overwhelmingly Romanian, with small minorities of Lipovans and Roma.

Brăila's strategic location has made it a prize to be fought over, having been burned to the ground multiple times in conflicts between Wallachia and Moldavia. Today, the city still grapples with the aftermath, as bureaucracy and economic decline have become persistent headaches. The once-bustling port now handles mainly grain, while the shipbuilding industry struggles.

Unless you're drawn to Brăila's 19th-century architecture and the chance to explore its tumultuous history, this city offers little to recommend it as a place to put down roots.