Bern is the capital of Switzerland and one of three Swiss cities to make the top 10. The city has consistently held on to the No. 9 spot in the quality-of-life survey for the past four years.… More

Bern is located in the Swiss plateau, and the city’s center, known as the old town of Bern, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Bern has been able to maintain its medieval charm over the centuries and has retained most of its historic features, including arcades, fountains, sandstone facades, towers and narrow streets. Often ranked among the most expensive cities in the world, Bern is the center of Swiss engineering and manufacturing, with medical, information technology, automotive and luxury retail products such as watches made there.

This year, Bern is ranked as the second-safest city in the world, after Luxembourg. Switzerland’s neutrality, and its reputation as a banking safe haven for the world’s wealthy, has made it an attractive place to relocate. However, growing immigration has become a cause of concern for the locals. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party wants to limit the number of immigrants entering the country, and the movement has seen a rise in popularity this year after tapping into growing fears that immigration could hurt the Alpine country’s high standard of life.

Foreigners make up 22% of the country’s 7.9 million people and have been blamed for rising rents, crowded public transportation and higher electricity bills.