Wanderlust is a strong desire to wander ortravel andexplore the world. The term has its roots inGerman Romanticism.
The first documented use of the term inEnglish occurred in 1902[1] as a reflection of what was then seen as a characteristically German predilection for wandering that may be traced back toGerman Romanticism and theGerman system ofapprenticeship (thejourneyman), as well as the custom of adolescent wanderings in search of unity with nature.[2]
The term originates from the German wordswandern ('to hike') andLust ('desire'), literally translated as 'enjoyment of hiking', although it is commonly described as 'enjoyment ofstrolling, roaming about, or wandering'.[3]
In recent years, the wordWanderlust is less commonly used in German, having been largely supplanted in the sense of 'desire to travel' byFernweh ('a longing for far-away places'), coined as an antonym toHeimweh, 'homesickness', or 'travel fever' (Reisefieber).
Robert E. Park in the early twentieth century saw wanderlust as in opposition to the values of status and organisation,[4][5][6] whilepostmodernism would by contrast see it largely as playfully empowering.[7]
Inpost-Enlightenment Europe, upper-class bachelors were encouraged to embark upon aBildungsreise (roughly, 'cultural education journey'), often sightseeing trips to Italy or France.
Among tourists, sociologists distinguish sunlust from wanderlust as motivating forces – the former primarily seeking relaxation, the latter engagement with different cultural experiences.[8]
Wanderlust may reflect an intense urge for self-development by experiencing the unknown, confronting unforeseen challenges, getting to know unfamiliar cultures, ways of life and behaviours or may be driven by the desire to escape and leave behind depressive feelings of guilt, and has been linked tobipolar disorder in the periodicity of the attacks.[9]
In adolescence, dissatisfaction with the restrictions of home and locality may also fuel the desire to travel.[10]