During my days in Lisbon, I discovered a treasure: the foundation and museum of José Saramago, Portugal’s only Nobel laureate in literature.

Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize in 1998, gifted the world masterpieces like Blindness, Seeing, and Baltasar and Blimunda. A member of the Portuguese Communist Party, he stirred controversy by suggesting Portugal merge with Spain, alienating many of his compatriots. This led him to seek refuge in Spain, though he returned to Lisbon in his later years—perhaps drawn by the saudade that binds all who love this city.

Beyond his writing, Saramago shared a poignant love story with Pilar del Río, a Spanish journalist. Their bond, captured in the documentary José e Pilar, reflects a love as timeless and melancholic as Lisbon’s rain-soaked streets.

Now, far from Lisbon, I read his words and feel the ache of saudade. I long for the golden evenings and the city’s warm embrace, carrying its memory like a whispered promise. See you soon, my Lisbon ❤️