Kaliningrad, Russia

Capital City

Your dreams of living in an idyllic Russian city may need a reality check in Kaliningrad. With a population of just 360,577, this exclave is Russia's westernmost outpost, isolated from the mainland by NATO members Poland and Lithuania. While the city's historic architecture has been slowly restored, bureaucratic headaches are a persistent challenge for residents. And the damp, variable climate, with long, cloudy winters, is a far cry from the sunny, carefree lifestyle many imagine. Only those with a high tolerance for paperwork and gray skies need apply to call this former Königsberg home.