I know how you feel--when I was still living in the UK, I found out that a right-wing party called "Attack" (the name says it all, really, the agressive idiots!) has managed to get enough votes to get into my home country's Parliament! I was beside myself with indignation. But there are people like that, who are ignorant, and scary, and just all wrong everywhere in the world--some countries have them more than others, true, but you mustn't think you share anything REAL with those people!

As for Italy, I went to a week-long trip to Rome-Florence-Venice a few years ago, after dreaming about visiting Italy for years, and I can tell you this: there don't have to be specific things to make Italy a great country, it just IS.:) It certainly felt like it and I adored it, and loved every hour I spent there.:)