El Kef, Tunisia

Capital City

At 780 meters above sea level, El Kef is the highest-elevated city in Tunisia, with a population of 73,706. While the old town's perch atop a table-top mountain offers panoramic views, the unstable climate - ranging from scorching summer heat waves to winter snowstorms - can be a persistent headache. Bureaucracy is also a fact of life, as the city is divided between two municipal boroughs. Still, El Kef's deep history as a Carthaginian, Roman, and Berber stronghold provides a unique cultural draw for the adventurous expat willing to navigate its challenges.