If you live in a city do you find it exciting?

[SophieKaczynsky]

I grew up in a city until I was 14, when we moved to a rural town, and I still live in said rural town now (am in my forties).

There's not much to do here, and it's pretty boring. I love nothing better than going to cities. I just find them exciting to be in, and feel like there's a buzz there, and always something going on.

Do you love city life if you are a city dweller?

@Rugsofhonour

Yes! I live in London and it’s brilliant.

Oooh I'm jealous! London was where I grew up and it's my favourite place in the world to visit.

I grew up on a farm, and have lived city centre for most of my life since leaving there to go to uni. This has always surprised me as I never thought of myself as a city lover. But I do : the convenience, don’t need a car, loads to do, friends all within walking / public transport distance, same for my teens who don’t need a lift anywhere. Currently we live in a lovely part of a large French city, no desire to move.

Born and raised in London
From teens till about 29 i found it exciting, not now though.
I think the rich/poor divide is a big problem.

Also, drug use...used to be more about being mellow, now people seem to favour drugs that cause aggression and fights.

I live in Dublin city
I have a love hate relationship

TOO many tourists and drunk young people
TOO much traffic and rubbish

I find it more annoying/exhausting than exciting to be honest. Long for peace and quiet, no crowds and a garden!

Yes, love city life. Always something to do, or people to watch who are doing stuff. I live in a small city (around 500k people).

Another from a very rural area who lives in and loves London. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. There’s always something to do or somewhere new to wander around and explore.

I grew up in a tiny village but moved to a reasonably big city after uni and have never left (37 now). DH would happily go and live on a remote island but I love having everything we need on our doorsteps, stuff going on and interesting people. Kids can do any activity they like and be exposed to so much variety. The thought of village living makes me shudder. When I visit my sister in her small village I feel honestly suffocated and it’s like the cloud lifts as I get on the motorway back into the city. The idea of kids getting older here does make me nervous but I would be nervous about that anywhere, and we’re not in London at least. Can’t see myself moving to the sticks anytime soon, I love the buzz and looking out over rooftops at night, all that life going on around!

Yes. We lived in a city for 4 years. Everything was generally walkable or a metro ride away. I could walk to work, had a lovely bakery at the corner. Restaurant and supermarket just around the corner, could walk downtown. Lots of festivals on, always something different to see. Now live in suburbia and hate it. I think a lot of it was not having to rely on a car to get anywhere, unlike here.

Raising dc in a city is easier: activities on your doorstep, plentiful public transportation, etc. As they get older, they can get around on their own quite easily. But the feeling of being cheek to jowl with so many other people is quite wearing and dp and I intend to move to the country when they are grown. We want open spaces, a big garden, and more quiet. But I shall miss ordering takeaways, I'm sure.

I love London, but I've also always thought Liverpool seems like a really good city to live in. Whenever I've been I've found the atmosphere is fantastic, and there seems loads to do there.

Surely it depends on the city? There's a world of difference between Manchester and Hereford, for instance.

I live in a big European city and I love it. It’s not as big as London though, I really miss London and would go even bigger if I could (I love Tokyo and New York…).

I love the anonymity, the pace of life, the fact that there is always something to do. It just feels very alive.

I love going back to where I grew up (small city of about 70.000 people) but after a week or two I miss the rush and speed of a big city.

I live in Manchester and love it. I would die of boredom in the countryside. I love going out to the peaks, the lakes, Dales and Wales for walks and weekends of camping. But love having the choice of 100s of pubs, restaurants, theatres, events every evening of the week. I love my kids going to school with kids that speak 40 plus languages and heritage from all over the world. The open mindedness and all the people to meet.

I grew up in a village in Surrey, it was so boring. I live in Brighton now and I love it.

I grew up in Greater London. Going to Uni in a small City was a real culture shock as I always took London for granted;

• not being able to turn up to restaurants/cinema without pre booking as you may not get in, otherwise.

• constantly bumping into people you know, everywhere.

• going out and seeing all the ladies in one of 4 dresses because there were only a handful of clothes shops.

Don't get me wrong, London is far from perfect. I'm not enjoying the fast pace of life as much, but there are ways around that. London is all I've known and I don't think I will move.

I live in a small city (Brighton) and like it, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere bigger.

Whenever I visit my old village in Italy (population 800) I'm happiest though. I love being outdoors all the time.

purple not sure if I have got your post right

I find as a lifelong Londoner, it's constantly bumping into people you know, whether you go north, south, east or west of where you live. In such a big city, it seems to be the opposite of most people's experience.

I do wonder what small cities are like, do they feel less crowded etc.

Grew up rurally. Live in London and love it. i’ll be carried out in a box.

I do love and need to get out to the country, but I wouldn’t want to live outside a city full time.

Yes. I love it, always have done. The country is nice and I like visiting it, but like fuck would I want to live there. I have plenty of open space right here.

I live very near London (train in is a shorter ride than a lot of Zone 3 commutes.) I adore London. I love the art exhibitions, theatre shows, gigs, concerts, opera, new restaurants, the parks, bars and coffee houses, libraries and river walks, quirky museums and markets. And just watching the street life. But I do quite like coming home to our village, stepping off the train and smelling the sweet country air, watching the cattle graze and walking home along clean safe streets.

Yes. I live in London, but not as central as I'd like. But the funny thing is I don't have to be going up the West End every day, I just like the fact I'm here. I like the noise and buzz and even hearing the train go by. And Halloween was brilliant - like those scenes from ET. Whatever people say, I've found London to be really friendly.

I live in New York and I love it. I grew up in a suburb so dull it's like a living death and swore I'd never do that to my child.