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What made Florence and also Venice banal for me (obviously not completely banal, how could either ever be) was the complete saturation of tourism. The shops, restaurants and most of all the tourists themselves almost completely ruin it. Certainly in Venice where you are forced to confront it due to the tightness of space which is a great shame. There should be a maximum occupancy. Florence was a bit better, I was able to find a quiet place to take it in.