Geneva. Switzerland

Sleek, chic and a cosmopolitan melting-pot, Geneva is truly a rare breed: it's among Europe's most expensive places to live. People chat in every language imaginable, and it's often perceived as the Swiss capital (it's not). Spectacularly wrapped around the shores of Europe's largest Alpine lake, Geneva is only Switzerland's third-largest city.

But it feels like the whole world is here: 200-plus international organisations fill the city's posh hotels, dine on its international cuisine and assist in propping up Geneva's famous surplus of banks, jewellers and chocolate shops. As for the urban grit? To find the rougher cut, venture into the Paquis quarter or walk along the river's industrial shores where neighborhood bars buzz with attitude.