Kungälv (Kungalv), Sweden

With a population of just 50,496, Kungälv is hardly the bustling metropolis some Swedes may dream of. The town is forever tainted by a 1961 school shooting - the first of its kind in Sweden - that left one student dead and six others injured. Police were forced to mount a major manhunt for the teenage perpetrator, who later received psychiatric treatment.

The memory of this tragedy lives on through a scholarship awarded annually to students known for their social support. But the specter of violence continues to loom over Kungälv, which is plagued by a persistent bureaucratic headache. Those seeking a quiet, small-town life may find refuge here, but the city's troubled history is not easily shaken off.

This is a place for those comfortable with a slower pace and a heavy dose of sober reflection, not the thrill-seekers drawn to Sweden's glittering capitals.