A simple Italian Breakfast

Just walk down the street and find the nearest bar. Yes, bars serve breakfast in Italy.

Breakfast tends to be minimal in Italy. We often go to bars where we can get a cappuccino and pastry or maybe a tomato/mozzarella panini. If there’s a refrigerator in the hotel room, we sometimes get yogurt to start the day.

Paul,

Does your hotel (or whatever) not provide breakfast? Any nearby Bar should be able to provide a good Cappuccino and a Cornetto.

In Rome they have the Roman Rolls that are hollow and very good, especially if hot.

Coffee is usually consumed standing at a bar. You pay more to sit and 'relax'...which is what tourists do.

Maria there are many more neighborhood bars that don’t charge to sit.

Paul as you stroll around your neighborhood, look for bars where locals are hanging out, not on a major piazza that attracts travelers. And ask to sit. It is sometimes well worthwhile to have a nice sit and watch the world. I am happy to pay for that on occasion!

Here are a few places on or near Piazza Santo Spirito that you might consider, none of which would charge extra to sit. Unfortunately, my favorite places for cappuccino in Florence are nowhere near Santo Spirito area.

Bar Ricchi on Piazza Santo Spirito (also good gelato)
Mama's Bakery on Via della Chiesa
Caffe dei Serragli at corner of Via Maffia and Via Sant'Agostino (mostly local clientele)

There are also a few nice place along Piazza Pitti, but they're more expensive and more touristy.

The only places that charge more to sit are the bars in touristy spots that also offer table service. If they don’t offer table service, you are free to sit down after getting your own order at the counter.
Bars that charge extra for table service by law must display a menu with the two lists of prices with both the price (“prezzo”) AL BANCO (at the counter) and AL TAVOLO (at the table).

I agree with everything said above. I just want to add that typical Italian breakfast is not all that relaxing by North American standards. they don't lounge over brunch. I'm married to an Italian, and love lunch and dinner in Italy, but I despise Italian breakfast. I love a cup of black drip coffee, which isn't available there. The closest I can get is an "Americano" which is small and sad. And any food available is without an atom of fibre and full of bleached flour and sugar. Italian food is great, but if you want good breakfast food, you need to go north of the Alps or to Britain.

Breakfast in Italy outside of the home is usually as many have mentioned: an espresso and a pastry, standing up at the bar. A rushed affair by our American standards! (Not that either is better or worse; they're just definitely different.)