Beja (Bajah), Tunisia

Capital City

With a population of just 109,299, Beja (Bajah) is hardly the vibrant metropolis some expats dream of. The fertile farmland and ancient Roman ruins may seem charming, but the reality is a sleepy provincial capital plagued by bureaucratic headaches. Winters are cold and damp, summers sweltering. And while the city's strategic location once made it a prized prize, today it's a backwater far from the glitz of Tunisia's coastal cities. Only the most hardy and determined should consider putting down roots in Beja.