Isparta, Turkey

Capital City

This city of 247,580 people is not the idyllic retreat it may seem. For starters, Isparta is prone to violent earthquakes, with most of the ancient city destroyed in a 1914 tremor. The climate is chilly and snowy in winter, hot and dry in summer - not exactly a Mediterranean paradise. And while the city has a few historical sites like the Kutlu Bey Mosque, a persistent bureaucratic headache means renovations often stall.

Isparta's economy centers around rosewater production and carpet-making, but its real growth industry is "biblical tourism." That may appeal to a certain type of visitor, but for most, this conservative, earthquake-prone city in the Turkish countryside is likely a pass.