Private journeys · North East India specialists +91 70022 09781 · helpdesk@travaah.com
Community

The Traveller's Lexicon: saudade

A Portuguese word for a particular kind of longing.

LEXICONWayfarer · July 20261 min readChecked 10 November 2026

Saudade — pronounced roughly “sow-DAH-deh” — is a Portuguese word for a deep, sweet-sad longing for something or someone absent. It is often linked to Portugal and the Portuguese-speaking world, and to the experience of those who left by sea.

It is a word that is hard to translate into a single English term, and it is best not to use it as a tidy label for an entire culture.

Prices, dates, permits and rules change — approximate, verify before you travel. Researched from public sources; field verification pending.

Planning a journey like this?

Tell us the season and your pace — we'll shape it into a private itinerary.

Talk to a travel designer