I know several Italian girls and the general consensus was that they thought most Engish guys were either gay or incredibly shy, until they came to the UK.
Itaian girls are approached all the time, so I'd go direct with a compliment, and then ask them about themselves. By doing this you avoid the typical Italian male "hey baby!" type heavy handed approach but show your attracted to them and by qualifying them, you show that you want to know more about her, which puts you ahead of the local male population!
Peace,
Rumba!
