The owners of the property were not only gracious and attentive, but had also thought of everything I could possibly need for a comfortable stay. Although the walls were white, the added details of nicely framed art, books, plants and personal touches including colorful dishware, made the apartment feel very homelike. The location was brilliant, and although close to a busy road running alongside the Arno, the apartment was quiet as it backed onto a small courtyard. From the second bedroom, I had a glimpse of the river, which was nice. A gentle breeze also made the temperature in the apartment very comfortable even in the July heat.
Everywhere I wanted to go in Florence was minutes away by foot. There was a convenient grocery store about 2 and 1/2 blocks away. The area abounded with bars, cafes and restaurants. I can especially recommend the cafe that is about a 2-minute walk from the apartment on the road bordering the river. It had great food and reasonable prices. The gelato shop mentioned in the title was maybe a minute's walk away.
The main train station of Santa Maria Novella was a 20-minute walk from the apartment, which meant that I could easily access it for day trips, such as the one I took to Lucca, and on the day of my departure, I could return to Rome without having to call a taxi.
I can highly recommend staying in this very comfortable apartment with its attentive owners, who were both respectful and kind.