With a well-preserved Baroque landscape, Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This Austrian city came in first among cities with the highest quality of life worldwide in Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living survey. For art and music lovers, the city boasts a wide range of museums containing some of the world's most loved masterpieces, and Vienna has been the capital of classical music in Europe for centuries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named Vienna's historic city center a World Heritage Site in 2001 because of its role in world politics and art, as well as its impressive mixture of European architecture.
Nestled in the Alps of German-speaking Switzerland, Zurich is one of the major financial and banking centers of the world. Aside from the considerable economic advantages of living in Zurich, the city is also regularly ranked among cities with the highest quality of living worldwide, and was chosen for the number one spot on Forbes' "Europe's 10 Best Places to Live" list in 2008. With a population of just under 400,000, Zurich is one of the smallest major cities in Europe, a definite plus for those who dislike traffic congestion and air pollution. Zurich is centrally located in Europe, providing easy travel for its more adventurous residents to many of the major tourist centers in the region.
While Amsterdam and the Netherlands in general are most widely known for bustling red-light districts and progressive drug laws, citizens of the city rarely go near questionable areas. They enjoy a high quality of life, world-renowned education and a thriving economy. Amsterdam has many attractions for both tourists and residents, including the historic canals, some of Europe's most highly respected museums and nightlife to fit any lifestyle. The city's buildings were constructed in a wide variety of styles, including Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau, as well as some recent modern additions. Many of the world's top companies like ING, TomTom and Philips are headquartered in Amsterdam, giving residents a large selection of high-profile employment opportunities.
