Yes, I failed to mention I'm childless, and neighborly things like having lawns to cut can't happen here where apt buildings are one after the other. That said, some of my neighbors have kids, others love to talk in the stairway, and my upstairs neighbor drops small items on his floor frequently and at very odd hours. I'm pretty hard to annoy so it doesn't bother me too much (if it were constant, that's another thing).
The part about the central-living in the German city, I would guess that if you like relative silence, you get the same pleasure out of being near lively places (as long as you can return to a calm enough place after).
Yeah, sure. Your last statement is fine, but .. it's a matter of preference. The return could be 'So, just leave the noisy/lively city if you seek silence', no?
You pick your home based on your preferences. I wouldn't normally live in this mostly silent place, because leaving home and traveling to the more lively (or .. noisy) places eats motivation and energy, which means that more often than not I don't do it anymore.
I'd prefer having all of that right outside of my door, leaving for quiet places instead - when necessary/appropriate.
The part about the central-living in the German city, I would guess that if you like relative silence, you get the same pleasure out of being near lively places (as long as you can return to a calm enough place after).