Uddevalla, Sweden

Capital City

With a population of just 35,639, Uddevalla is a sleepy backwater that offers little to entice the average expat. The largest town in the Bohuslän region, it's a former shipbuilding hub that's struggled to reinvent itself since the industry's collapse in the 1980s. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city having been burned down no less than six times over the centuries as rival Scandinavian powers jockeyed for control. While the beaches are littered with seashells and the surrounding nature is undeniably picturesque, Uddevalla is best suited for those seeking a quiet, uneventful retirement far from the hustle and bustle.