Perception is defined as a mental process of understanding and interpreting sensory information from the environment, which has the effect of forming a meaningful image for the subject. In urban noise analysis, measurements and noise maps should be complemented by a description of how noise is perceived by the inhabitants, this being the subjective component. The paper presents the results of a noise survey conducted among the inhabitants of the central area of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The significant increase of the traffic in the city central area, which has been reported in recent years, has also generated upper levels of noise and has changed the perception and attitude of the inhabitants towards this situation. The results of this study can be useful in identifying the actions that need to be taken to ensure a quiet and comfortable environment for the city's inhabitants.