The grass always seems greener on the other side. People in urban areas long to move to the suburbs or the mountains, while farm folk would give an arm, a leg, and three cows to live in a metropolis. They often do! But what does it mean to dream about a city? Let’s look into it!
What Does it Mean to Dream About a City?
1. You Miss Your Bustling City Life
Some people live in one place their whole lives. But citizens of the US and the EU are lucky because they have more access. As an American, you can move to a different state every month, or even every year. So we’ll often follow a job, a school, or a partner to a new county. And with #VanLife and #TinyHouses, your home is on wheels so you can get around a lot.
Given this context, what does it mean when you dream of the city where you use to live? It’s happening a lot as the country opens up. It means you have unfinished business in that city. Maybe you went back home to be closer to family during the Covid Years (2020 to 2022). If your city dream was a positive one, it might be time to get back to your earlier urban lifestyle.
2. Or Maybe The Rustic Lifestyle Suits You Better
We handled the Covid pandemic in various ways. As we just said, lots of people locked up their city homes and went back to the places they were born. It seemed like a sensible choice once we realized we’d be on lockdown for a while, especially as offices closed, friends left, communal city spaces got shut down, and the hectic concrete jungle felt cold and lonely.
But maybe your boss has finally summoned you and you can’t work from home anymore. Your roommate has returned to your shared apartment and is hinting that you should too. Think about your feelings during the dream. Were you anxious or excited? Eager or dreading? The dream could mean you’re settled in your new life and don’t want to go back.
3. Somebody Needs You to Reach Out
While it’s true that there’s no place like home, certain cities have a near-universal allure. Almost everybody dreams of traveling to Paris. Or Rome. Or Vegas. For a lot of us, it’s a lifetime dream so we plan and save and when we finally have enough cash, we take someone special on the trip. It might be your best friend, your partner, a sibling, or even your mom.
So what does it mean if you suddenly dream about that city – the one you visited with somebody you treasure? It could mean your travel buddy needs a check-in. Your angels can see you both, and they can tell when you’re thinking of each other. The angels are nudging you to reach out to that person. They’re having a tough time and they need a friendly voice.
4. You’re Feeling Overwhelmed by Parenthood
Some professions need you to move around a lot. So if you were a military brat, a civil service kid (think of diplomats and ex-pats with 2-year contracts), or if your parents worked in sales, you’ve probably lived in a lot of places. So what does it mean when you dream of the city where you were born or the one where you grew up? It could signify nostalgia and longing.
But it also means you’re feeling like a child again. And a lot of these issues get triggered by struggles in parenthood. Your kid may have done something that reminded you of a memory from your own youth, and it got you thinking about those simpler times. Or maybe you just said something to your child that your parents used to say to you! Now you want your mom.
5. You Need a Change of Pace
When people from smaller towns visit a big city, they go through a series of emotions. You may find yourself exhilarated by the bright lights and the loud noises. But you could also go through culture shock from the unfamiliar sights and sounds. Even the people feel alien! But if you’re a jaded city-dweller, you can probably navigate those streets with your eyes closed.
So what does it mean if you’re a seasoned urbanite but you dream of getting lost on your own turf? It’s a place that you know well, but suddenly you feel like a stranger and everything is moving too fast. You’re probably feeling weighed down by the bustle of the city. You’re no longer at home or at peace. But take some time off to reassess before you plan to move away!
6. It’s Time to Expand Your World
A lot of the time, dreams about roaming around a city can be a sign of indecision. You have all these choices and you don’t know which one to pick. But that kind of a dream usually feels oppressive and ominous, so it’s important to recall your emotions during the dream. What does it mean if your aimless city stroll was full of delight, wonder, and child-like pleasure?
You’ll need more context for this. As a country girl or boy, you might assume it means you need a bus ticket to the big leagues. But that’s not necessarily true. It could mean you want to bring the city to your town! Pay attention to the stores or spaces you visited in the dream. It could be a business idea to open a city-style store in your county. But do your research first!
7. You’re Seeking Familiar Comforts
A common rom-com theme is the big city guy or girl that goes back home and finds love. The protagonist may have come back for a family event or a school reunion, then rediscovered the joys of home. But what does it mean when you have this dream in impossible settings? Maybe you can’t leave your job or city. Or maybe you’re estranged and can’t ever go back.
This dream can stress you out if you know there’s no way back home … or no home to go back to. In such cases, the dream may be more about the feeling of home. The city where you grew up represents your roots, so it may mean you want to establish yourself. You may want to start a family. Or you want a job that’s connected to the business your family used to run.
8. Someone in Your City Needs Your Help!
No, this doesn’t mean you should buy a Halloween costume and start fighting crime. But if you dream of getting lost in a city where you’ve lived for years, it could be a clue. Think of how you felt when you first moved to this city. You were probably excited and giddy, but the city may also have felt large, alien, and oppressive before you got used to how they do things.
You’ll have to talk to your angels for this one. Chances are they’ve spotted someone in your circle that needs assistance settling in. Look at the people that recently came into your life. It could be a new tenant in your apartment, a new hire at the office, or even a shy face at your local coffee shop. They may want a ‘social tour guide’ but are too intimidated to ask. Be a pal.
9. You May Need a Medical Check-Up
If you’re online a lot, you may remember those early 2020 memes that said ‘Nature is healing, we are the virus!’ They often featured photos or descriptions of clean rivers and thriving flowers now that all the city residents were locked indoors. Many had moved to quieter towns so the cities were eerily silent. What if you dream of these scenarios now?
Look at it this way – people left the city to avoid getting infected. So the root of the problem was health-related, and your dream might be too. A dream about an abandoned city could be your angel’s way of getting you to the doctor. You have an illness that you’ve been ignoring, and it’s shutting down your essential systems, just like the void amenities in that ghost city.
10. You’re About to Lose a Lot of Money
We’re so used to modern living that we sometimes forget small towns exist. We see them in indie films and documentaries, but unless you grew up in one, it’s hard to imagine a town where only 500 people live – sometimes less! And with a community that size, it’s easy to wipe everyone out. One big fire or one contagious infection can turn into an apocalypse!
But what does it mean if you dream of a destroyed city? Cities decline slowly, so to dream of one that’s completely trashed – seemingly overnight – is a sign of a sudden disaster. You might unexpectedly lose your job, your house, or your source of income, and it could crush you. But don’t panic! Your angels are fore-warning you, and they’ll help soften your landing.
11. You’re Handling Your Relationship Wrong
Think about your significant other, or even your best friend. Are they from the same city as you? Suppose they’re not, and you have a vivid dream about their home city being destroyed. You might wake up in a panic thinking your loved one is hurt, but you find them lying right next to you. What could this dream mean? Your heavenly helpers can see trouble brewing.
It’s possible that your partner is unhappy. They’re thinking of leaving you and going back home. But your response has been to bully and guilt them into staying. Your dream suggests you secretly want to shut down their options so they don’t have anywhere to go. Your actions are making your partner feel trapped and controlled. You need to ease up and compromise.
12. Your Partner is Too Far Away
Here’s another scenario. You might be in a long-distance relationship and you really want it to work out. You’re doing your bit and putting in the effort to stay in touch. You’re keeping the connection alive. But for some reason, you keep dreaming about the city where your beloved lives. You might think it means you should surprise them with an impromptu visit.
First, that never ends well – you might find them with someone else! But the reality is you’ve probably lost them already because you’re dreaming of a city that’s beyond your reach. Seek the guidance of your heavenly helpers. They can tell you whether your love is worth fighting for or whether you should let them go. The angels might know a closer, more secure partner.
13. It’s Time to Brush Up Your Skill Set
In Binyavanga Wainanina’s book Discovering Home, he describes a painting that was in his house growing up. He mentions seeing it as an adult as if he had never spotted it before, even though it had always been on the wall. And he sums it up beautifully with the phrase “Seeing is noticing”, because something can be in front of you all along, but you ignore it.
So what does it mean when you dream of exploring a new part of your city? You’ve lived here your whole life, but for some reason, you’ve never noticed that cozy alley or that fancy shop. This dream means you’re seeking novelty in familiar settings. Maybe you need to learn a new skill to advance at work or try a new approach to a challenge that has stalled your career.
14. You Want to Show Your Hidden Sides
Have you heard of typecasting? It’s when an actor seems to play the same character in every movie. Maybe they’re always the bad boy or the shy girl, and it can pigeonhole the actor’s career. Something similar happens in small communities. Everyone knows you, so you get saddled with an identity you can’t shake. This rarely happens in big cities – they’re diverse.
So what does it mean if you dream of your metropolis suddenly feeling small? Maybe you dream you’re on the roof of a skyscraper so you can see the whole city, and it feels tiny! This may mean you feel like you’re in a box. Your circles have stereotyped you and assigned you a role that has you feeling claustrophobic. Your angels are giving you permission to break out.
15. You’re Worried About Losing Your Child
When someone moves from a small town to a city, they’re often doing it to better themselves. They may be going to a big-city college or getting a corporate job. And the people back home constantly worry that they’ll lose you to the evils of the city. A parent like this might have a dream of watching a bus leave for the city. But the dream could be decidedly more meta.
You might dream you’re overhead, watching a lonely car drive into the city and get lost in the crowd of traffic. Your response to this dream might be to hold on tighter to your loved one, calling and texting them endlessly. This will just push them away. Your spirit guides are reminding you to give your child space to grow and fly. They’ll come back home in the end.
When was the last time you had a dream about a city? Tell us in the comments section below!