Florence was a prominent wealthy city in this time. Cervantes uses accuracy in mentions of this city even as a side story. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dmpMcyeEX5EC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=florence+italy+history&ots=42mXVMTzJE&sig=xUVIM3YmkozvPJuF-AuJojgYBqc#v=onepage&q=florence%20italy%20history&f=false

mention of real paces still existing today.

Don Quixote is from a village called La Mancha of Spain. This village is where the story begins and plays a large part in who Don Quixote is. From this village Don Quixote was quipped, by himself, as Don Quixote de La Mancha.