North of the Passirio River, the old town of Merano with its medieval Arcades, an 800 year old shopping street known as Via dei Portici o Lauben, is located. Its origins go back to Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia, grandfather of Margaret, Countess of Tyrol, at a time when Merano was a newly founded booming town and became the provincial capital of the County of Tyrol. The Merano Arcades are divided into two parts: the Berglauben, or Portici di Montagna (Mountain Arcades) are in the direction of the Monte di Merano and the Wasserlauben, or Portici d'Acqua (Water Arcades) in the direction of the Passirio river. Today, the Merano Arcades with a length of 400 m are the longest in Tyrol and invite you to stroll and shop, enjoying a cappuccino in the sun in between.

They extend from west to east and thus from the Piazza Del Grano square to the Piazza Duomo square with the St. Nicholas Parish Church. A wide variety of shops can be found here, from international fashion chains to delicatessen shops with regional products. The beautiful facades of the houses from different style epochs are provided with bay windows and archways. The Merano Market takes place every week in the adjacent Corso Libertà road.

The Arcades are surrounded by numerous sights and excursion destinations, including the Kurhaus along the Lungopassirio Promenade, the beautifully designed promenades of the spa town, and museums such as the Merano Municipal Museum and the Prince's Castle. Just outside the Via dei Portici, a bridge leads to the newly designed Piazza delle Terme square with the Merano Thermal Baths. And how to reach the Arcades? They connect the Piazza Del Grano with the Piazza Duomo square - there are plenty of parking facilities (subject to charge) and bus stops around.