I find that as I start to pin away on Pinterest, I’m constantly saving foreign words.
A lot of them are words I never heard of and describe a traveler’s wanderlust or a traveler itself. They are words that are elegant, beautiful, and poignant. The kind we often don’t have a translation for in English. So we describe them the best we can.
Here’s a look at some of my favorites that in particular, describe wanderlust.
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12 Beautiful Foreign Words That Describe Wanderlust
1. Solivagant | Language: Latin
“Someone who wanders or travels the world alone; a solitary adventurer.”
2. Fernweh | Language: German
“An ache for distant places; missing places you never been. A certain craving for travel.”
3. Querencia | Language: Spanish
“A place from which one’s strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you feel your most authentic self.”
4. Saudade | Language: Portuguese
“A vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, for something other than the present.”
5. Resfeber | Language: Swedish
“The restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together.”
6. Dérive | Language: French
“A spontaneous and unplanned journey where the traveler leaves their life behind allows themselves to be guided by the landscape and architecture.”
7. Nefelibata | Language: Spanish
“One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams, or one who does not obey the conventions of society, literature, or art. Literally, ‘cloud walker.’”
8. Vagary | Language: Latin
“Meaning to roam, it’s an unpredictable idea, desire or action to traveling without knowing the destination, and not caring.”
9. Yūgen | Language: Japanese
“A deep and mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe.”
10. Sehnsucht | Language: German
“A wistful longing and yearning in the heart for travels past and future.”
11. Selcouth | Language: Old English
“When what you experience is wildly unfamiliar but yet so wonderful.”
12. Trouvaille | Language: French
“A chance encounter with something wonderful.”
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These are the sites I use most to book my own trips. Using the links below is a great way to support Bon Traveler’s travel journalism at no extra cost to you. If you need help organizing your itinerary, get my free travel itinerary template here.
1. Book Your Accommodations
I use Booking.com for hotels and Airbnb for vacation rentals. They have the biggest inventory and consistently offer the best rates.
2. Book Your Rental Car
Self-driving is the best way to explore most destinations. I use Discover Cars for our rental cars, select full coverage insurance, and opt for a reputable company like Alamo, Hertz, or Sixt.
3. Book Your Tours & Experiences
I use Viator, Airbnb, and Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favorite tour search engines. I always check all three as their inventory varies depending on the destination.
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For easy, reliable private transfers, I use Welcome Pickups. It’s my go-to for arranging a driver in advance — whether it’s an airport pickup, a hotel-to-hotel transfer, or a day trip. The experience is seamless, with English-speaking drivers and upfront pricing, so you can travel stress-free at every stage of your trip.
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I use Holafly for international cell data. Their unlimited data eSIMs are easy to install, activate instantly on arrival, and let you skip local SIM cards and expensive roaming fees.
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I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, or cancellations).
My favorite companies that offer the best coverage and rates are:
- World Nomads (best for all-around)
- Safety Wing (best for frequent travelers)
Xx,
Jessica
1 Comment
Amazing list! This should keep me busy for a while. I would like to add Japanese noun Shinrin-yoku – The practice of going into the woods seeking out a mentally soothing experience; taking in the forest atmosphere with your senses. Literally: “forest bathing.” Sometimes I write about similar topics. Here is an example post I wrote in case you or any of your readers find it interesting. Our content complements each other nicely, perhaps we can collab in some way in the future. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to see something new from you! Cheers!
https://www.flaneurlife.com/foreign-words-travel/