Not sure about Italy, but in the UK (until EASA screw it all up) you can fly a G-reg on an FAA PPL iirc so it wouldn't necessarily stop you flying. (But then having an FAA PPL might be a pest for the BFR - it would depend if you want an FAA or an EASA CPL/ME/IR at the end of it I guess).
There are options in Spain and elsewhere I believe with equally good weather - you don't need to go to FL necessarily to do an EASA PPL.
When I did the exams, I did Human Performance first which I found to be quite easy. Then Air Law, which was a memory job, then the others. I left Nav and Met until last - I found doing XCs and proper navigation in the aircraft (and preparing plogs etc), was beneficial to the exam as I understood how it worked practically, rather than just trying to do it from the textbooks.
Last edited by Slopey; 24th Jan 2013 at 15:35.