North of the Passirio river, the historical centre of Merano with its medieval Arcades, an 800 year old shopping street, 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 so-called 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 - "Meraner Lauben" in German, "Portici di Merano" in Italian - 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 Merano Arcades and the Historic Town are surrounded by numerous sights and excursion destinations, including the Merano Kurhaus, beautifully designed promenades and the Merano Thermal Baths. And how to find the Arcades of Merano? They connect the Piazza Del Grano with the Piazza Duomo square - there are plenty of parking facilities (subject to charge) and bus stops around.