I think that getting a special bike in Italy is still a good idea. It may just take a little more looking around than you first thought.

Firstly forget anything carbon. They all come out of Asia anyway and they will be cheaper in America from what everyone is saying.

Picking up some classic Italian steel would be nice though and looking second hand would be a practical way to find something cheaper but nice. This will take a lot of looking though to find something you like in your size but a little effort will likely turn up a gem. You could also look into the practicalities of getting a custom steel frame from a small builder that none of us have heard of. There was a time when EVERYONE rode custom built steel frames and they weren't that expensive either. These days have gone in Australia and the USA too but I'm sure there would still be someone doing this still in Italy. You'll just have to ask around.

Anthony