Like a fart that lingers long after the perpetrator has left the elevator….WE’RE STILL HERE AND WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. Your favorite troupe of wandering bloggers formally called C.O.S.I–Crazy Observations by Stranieri in Italy— has adopted a “Winter Theme” to dissect this month. Now before you start having flashbacks of the hideous paper snowflakes decorating your high school Prom night, stop right there. If you’re planning on visiting Italy or are already living here, you might want to heed the wise words of Game of Thrones hottie Jon Snow–WINTER IS COMING.
Lucky for you, I’ve prepared this handy step-by-step guide for foreigners to surviving winters in Italy.
Step 1: Get some Wine.
This is obviously the easiest and most effective strategy for staying warm in Italy during the winter. There’s a reason that the wine harvest happens in November, people. Stock up now–If you are worried about storage (a valid concern here, considering the shoebox size of many Italian abodes), may I suggest storing it in handy places such as the insides of shoes?
Step 2: Adopt a four-legged friend to cuddle during the cold winter months.
This is a really good strategy for beating both the freezing cold and seasonal depression all rolled up in one. I recommend adopting two animals and teaching them to fall asleep on your feet, thereby eliminating the need for socks or additional space heaters.
Adopt your furry space heater today!
Step 3: Eat spicy foods.
It is a well known fact that eating spicy foods will not only help you stay warm but also Gisele Bündchen does it and maybe that is the supermodel’s secret to looking so supermodel-y. Also there is the deliciousness factor to consider, so it is a definite recommendation.
Step 4: Make the sexy times.
The average human body has a temperature of 98.6°F (37°C) but scientific fact says that this level of heat will change dramatically once you have an Italian stallion in your bedchambers.
Step 5: Go south for the winter.
Birds are nature’s most intelligent creatures–as soon as the outdoor weather turns chilly, they pack their suitcases and sandals and jet off to Malta or Sicily or Morocco for some much deserved rest and relaxation. I like to imagine them on a beach somewhere sipping Mai Tais but then I get annoyed because they don’t have to fly RyanAir to get there.
And there you have it–the perfect guide for any foreigner in Italy to help you survive the cold winter months. For more classical interpretations of Winter in Italy, visit the number 1 rated (by me) page on Facebook, C.O.S.I. or check out the links below to the team’s various articles tackling this month’s Winter theme:
Rick’s Rome-How to Enjoy Winter in Italy
Girl in Florence-What to Expect When You Visit Florence in Winter
Surviving in Italy–Italy in the Winter: Baby It’s Cold Outside
Englishman in Italy–Baugna Cauda and Wine
Married to Italy
Unwilling Expat–Without Winter There Wouldn’t Be a Summer
Sex, Lies and Nutella-Surviving the Italian Winter
The Florence Diaries 
Reblogged this on David Linzey – Globetrotter and Travel Guide.
Your first sentence was guaranteed to reap a discriminating audience!
At first, I mistakenly thought that Steps 4 and 5 were redundant, but then I realized, no, they are two separate pieces of advice. 😉 But both very worthy of consideration for the shivering expat stuck in “Sunny Italy” during the long winter months.
LOL Gina, I love you. I like how we both suggested adopting a furry friend as a way to stay warm. Now I understand why Ginger wants to be INSIDE our couch and not on the couch.
Mrs S gets quite miffed if she arrives home and finds her precious cat is still outside, rather than curled up next to the fire. Now I realise she sits with them to stay warm