A post published on Reddit, in the r/CasualRO community, quickly gathered hundreds of reactions after a 22-year-old described how moving to Bucharest for university completely changed the way he sees other Romanian cities. His message touched on a familiar theme for many: the contrast between the fast pace of the capital and the “quietness” of smaller cities, which can feel either relaxing or strangely empty after spending time in Bucharest.

A Brașov native’s message about… a big city

In his post, the student explains that he had traveled “pretty much all over Romania” since childhood, but Bucharest had somehow escaped him until about two years ago, when he moved here for university. He then describes the contrast he felt almost immediately — from the city’s scale and crowds to its infrastructure and the sheer number of options available.

“I’m 22 years old, and since I was little I’ve traveled around Romania with my parents or to visit relatives. I’ve seen most of the big/important cities: Cluj, Brașov, Iași, Timișoara, Sibiu, Craiova, Constanța, Galați, Oradea, Botoșani, Bacău, Baia Mare, Târgu Jiu, etc. The list goes on. You can name almost any city and I’ve probably been there, maybe not every village though :)))Anyway, one city always escaped me: Bucharest (I don’t have anyone here). That changed about two years ago when I moved here for university. I wanted to try something new and live on my own, so I thought, ‘why not?’But this city completely ruined my perception of cities in Romania. Everything here is bigger (obviously, it’s the largest city), there are more people, traffic is worse, nothing compares. It’s the only city with a metro system and it has tons of things to do.While other cities might have at most two malls and a few larger stores, Bucharest has 22 malls.While some cities don’t even have theatres, Bucharest has 36 theatres (or similar cultural venues).I always thought most Romanian cities were kind of the same, especially since Bucharest seemed smaller compared to other European capitals I’ve visited, but for Romania… it’s fucking huge!And now, whenever I leave Bucharest — whether I go home to Brașov, visit friends or relatives — I always feel like I’m entering dead cities. The train station is small, shops are empty, streets are deserted, and I start wondering where everyone and all the cars are. It’s refreshing, but also uncanny after more than two years in Bucharest.I don’t want to glorify Bucharest, I’m not romanticizing anything. There are things I don’t like about it either, and sometimes I think I might not stay here forever. This post is just an observation about a feeling that appeared after living here for two years.”

Beyond the numbers he mentions, the core idea of his message is clear: Bucharest feels like “a different level” in terms of people, traffic, and opportunities, while returning to smaller cities creates a sense of slowdown and emptiness.

Users had mixed reactions

The comment section quickly branched into several directions, from corrections regarding comparisons with other European capitals to broader discussions about how age, lifestyle, and tolerance for crowds shape one’s perception of a city.

One user pointed out that Bucharest may not actually be “small” compared to other European cities, noting that in some rankings the Romanian capital places surprisingly high in terms of population — even though comparisons between city limits and metropolitan areas can be complicated.

“Bucharest isn’t actually that small compared to other European cities (EU). It’s still around 8th place by population.”

Another commenter, born and raised in Bucharest, described the opposite experience of the student’s “shock”: after decades spent in a large city, he chose to move to a smaller town and now returns to the capital only when he misses it. His main idea was simple — what people want from a city changes over time.

“I think it’s normal to want different things at different ages.”

More pragmatic reactions also appeared. Some users said Bucharest feels exciting in your early twenties, but can become exhausting later, when daily commuting, work schedules, family life, pollution, and time pressure enter the equation.

“Bucharest is great when you’re 20, but when you have a job and spend two hours in traffic… it doesn’t feel that amazing anymore.”

Another user highlighted something many people notice after leaving the capital: spontaneous options are far rarer in smaller cities — from concerts and restaurants to late-night places that remain open.

“In Bucharest there was always something to do… in Iași, those opportunities are much rarer.”

Why discussions about Bucharest often go viral

The Reddit conversation shows why topics like this resonate so strongly. Bucharest has a density of services, events, and opportunities that reshapes expectations. Once people get used to fast transport connections, extended opening hours, constant events, and multiple alternatives for almost anything, the difference becomes immediately noticeable when visiting smaller cities.

At the same time, many Romanians highlighted the other side of the story: a large city comes with unavoidable “costs” — traffic, long distances, lost time, crowds, and fatigue. For some, that is a fair price for opportunity and diversity. For others, it becomes the reason why, after a certain period, they seek the calm of a smaller city or at least a hybrid lifestyle, where Bucharest remains close — but not part of everyday life.

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