Liverpool, United Kingdom

Capital City

This port city on the Irish Sea is no picturesque postcard. With a population of 513,441, Liverpool has weathered its share of hard times - from the long shadow of the slave trade to bouts of high unemployment and civic dysfunction. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city council recently undergoing a major intervention from central government. And the weather can be fickle, with rainfall spread evenly throughout the year. But the rich architecture, world-class cultural institutions, and thriving music and arts scene belie Liverpool's gritty exterior. This is a city for those drawn to the rough-edged vibrancy of Britain's industrial powerhouses, not the manicured charm of its rural idylls.