Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Accademia Gallery, calls Florence a "prostitute" Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano says his comments are "serious and offensive" Hollberg later apologized "for using inappropriate words" about a "city I love" Other officials in Italy have expressed concern about the impact of overtourism, particularly in cities like Florence and Venice, where the historic center is crowded for much of the year. Venice announced last year its intention to test a ticketing system to try to control the number of visitors, starting from month of April.