Good comeback!
I do fear, though, that revelling in the "bellezze" of Italy can allow us to ignore some of its serious problems. Yes, good to see the great things Italy does, but we shouldn't be apathetic about what it doesn't do.
Don't get me wrong, I think you could write a scathing attack on almost any country's economy and leadership, but that doesn't mean Italy won't have to deal with its problems.
If you can take any more right-wing, Anglo-Saxon commentary on Italy's woes, this article is interesting - as a worst case scenario!
Growth slump may force Italy out of eurozone - Telegraph