The well-preserved arcades were the heart of the Medieval town. They were built in the 13th century by Meinhard II, Count of Tyrol, and consist of two rows of houses lined with low arcaded passageways. These start from the Pfarrplatz and end after about 400 m on the Kornplatz. The Lauben houses and their courtyards are full of quaint nooks and crannies, and the staircases are intertwined and connected by dark passages. The facades, in various styles dating from different periods, are adorned with picturesque bay windows and numerous arches. In this old town centre there are many reminders of the ruling power of the Counts of Tyrol (in particular the 3 generations - Meinhard II, his son ‘King’ Heinrich and his daughter Margarethe Maultasch). Her second wedding took place in 1342 in the building that now houses the Women’s Museum. The two sides of the arcades are divided into the riverside "Wasserlauben" (water arcades) and the Küchelberg-side "Berglauben" (mountain arcades). Originally the Lauben were not interrupted by Sparkassenstraße/Galileistraße, which made them the longest arcades in the Tyrol. This alteration came about to ease the traffic situation in the town centre; on the side of the Wasserlauben this occurred in the 19th century, whereas on the side of the Berglauben it did not occur before 1913. This further division resulted in the designation of "lower" and "upper" arcades in addition to the one already mentioned. As early as the Middle Ages the arcades were a centre for the Tyrolean merchants. Between the 13th and 14th centuries the mint - the trade's driving force throughout Tyrol - was housed in the building which is now the Pötzelberger bookshop at the upper end of the Lauben. The arcades are still the main shopping street in Merano.

The Rennweg is a wide street lined with numerous shops. It has a number of historic buildings with interesting painted facades and architectural features, including the Hotel Graf von Merano where Andreas Hofer was interrogated (commemorative bust). There are several theories about the origin of the street's name. On the one hand, it may stem from the fact that it was a popular arena for jousting tournaments in the 14th century. On the other hand, the name of "Rennweg" could stem from the Italian translation "Corso", a typical Italian strolling and trading street.

Between the Bozner Tor (town gate) and the Passer/Passirio bank there was a natural river bend in the past, where the river's sand was deposited – hence the square’s name. Here - next to the Bozner Gate - is a magnificent building that was one of the first grand hotels of Merano, the former "Erzherzog Johann" Hotel, which was later renamed "Esplanade" Hotel. Until 1913 the post office occupied a few rooms of the building. Today it contains shops and public offices. Opposite the hotel is the Hohensaal mansion, which houses the convent and boarding school of the Englischen Fräulein (Mary Ward congregation) as well as a neo-Romanesque church (Sacred-Heart-Church). Leonardo da Vinci Straße (formerly Postgasse) behind the Bozner Tor connects the Sandplatz with the Pfarrplatz.

It is a delightful and unusual Art Nouveau bridge decorated with gilded garlands, built in 1909 to replace a series of earlier bridges. The important route north from Bozen crossed the river here, leading to the Bozen Gate.

It lies at the lower end of Laubengasse. In the past it served the merchants from the entire region as a store and market place. The picturesque market stalls with fruit and other local produce is what remains of it. Today the court and prison are to be found on this square as well as the Volksbank (bank), which incorporates part of the old walls of the former convent of the order of St Clare (dissolved in 1782). There are Gothic vaulting and some interesting Medieval frescos inside the bank and further frescos in the adjoining former cloisters and the stairwell, which can be visited.

This picturesque part of town is situated between the Parish Church, the Passeirer Tor (town gate) and the right river bank. (Hallerstraße, Passeirergasse and Steinachplatz). Urban development began here in the 13th century. Many of the well-preserved buildings still retain the their original character, especially near the restaurant "Santer Klause" near the Passeirer Gate. Merano as a geographical designation was first mentioned in a document in 857 as "fields of Mairan" (translated as "Steinach"), which is thought to be a reference to the detritus and the alluvial sand deposited by the Passer/Passirio River.
The Steinerne Steg (stony way), built to replace a wooden footbridge in the 17th century, connects Steinach and the old town with the Gilfpromenade and Obermais on the other side of the river. This is the oldest surviving bridge across the Passer/Passirio.

The fourth town gate (Ultner Tor) stood here until 1881. The square's appearance and structure have changed considerably throughout the centuries. The lovely Art Nouveau Theatre is on this square.

The town wall was formerly a ring-wall surmounted by battlements dating from the 13th century. It was demolished in 1878. Traces of it can only be found at the Passeirer Tor.
Until 1881 the spa town had all four Medieval town gates. One was demolished in the 19th century.
- Ultner Tor (in the east): does not exist any more; it stood near the site of the town theatre. In 1881 it had to give way to through traffic and the creation of the Theater Platz..
- Vinschger Tor (in the west): at the end of the Rennweg: probably the oldest of the town gates. It was first mentioned in a document in 1290. It was altered in the 18th century and then served as the town prison for some time. The Tyrolean hero, Andreas Hofer, was imprisoned in a building near it, and on 28 January 1810 his first interrogation took place in the building which is now the Hotel zum Grafen von Merano (bust of Andreas Hofer), which is also close-by, further along the Rennweg.
- Passeirer Tor (in the north): A tall quaint tower overgrown with ivy. It is the most picturesque of the gates. You can still see the channels for the portcullis on the outside of the gateway. There are also remains of the town wall still visible here.
- Bozner Tor (in the south): dates from the 14th century and is preserved in its original form. The south facade of the Bozner Gate features a painted double eagle and the coats of arms of Austria, Tyrol and Merano.

The promenade runs along the right Passer/Passirio bank and is laid out with artistically arranged flower beds, palm trees and sculptures made out of living plants. Part of the Passerpromenade is the wide Kurpromenade (spa promenade), which was once called Giselapromenade after Archduchess Gisela, Empress "Sisi's" daughter, and is now named after the Kurhaus (spa house). It runs from Theater Brücke (bridge) to Post Brücke. There are several ice-cream parlours and pavement cafés along here, and it is embellished with elegant formal flower beds. The lower part of the Passerpromenade (former Stefaniepromenade) - extending from Theaterbrücke to Eisenbahnbrücke (near the lido, the public outdoor swimming-pool)is somewhat simpler in style.

It is very sunny and at the same time sheltered from the wind. In 1893 Dr Franz Tappeiner donated the ‘Wandelhalle’, a colonnade with fine wrought ironwork, to the town for guests to stroll up and down. Along the wall of the Wandelhalle there is a series of paintings of landscapes and towns of South Tyrol, some by Franz Lenhart, a famous local painter. In the centre of the colonnade there are a number of busts of personalities who made contributions to the spa town, including Mayor Haller. In 1864 the Winter Promenade was extended to reach the "Steinerne Steg" (a 17th century foot-bridge) in order to give the guests from Obermais direct access to the town centre. If you do not cross the bridge, the Winter Promenade now leads on to the Gilf Promenade.

This shady summer promenade extends along the opposite river bank from the Winter Promenade. The first section as far as the "Steinerne Steg" was laid out in 1866. Mammoth trees, poplars, various pine species and many other trees provide shade and cooling here. There is a memorial statue of Empress Elizabeth from Austria, whose visits contributed to the town’s popularity, in the Elisabeth Park at the beginning of the Sommerpromenade.

The magnificent new thermal baths is situated in a lovely park extending over about 10 acres, featuring new leisure and spa activities.

It offers one of the most romantic walks of the town. The path was laid out in the Passer/Passirio gorge below the Zenoburg castle in 1879/80 by the Imperial Counsellor Dr Hans Prünster and has become home to many subtropical plants. Much rock blasting had to be carried out here and high retaining walls and stone arches had to be erected. At its end, directly below the Zenoburg castle, you can admire the roaring water forcing itself through the narrow Passer/Passirio gorge. Only a few steps away, there is a path ascending to the Pulverturm (Powder Tower).
The walk up is worth while since the Pulverturm offers a panoramic view over Merano and the Etschtal/Val d'Adige valley, and the path leads to the magnificent Tappeiner Promenade. In 1960 the path on the left Passer/Passirio bank was laid out between the gorge and the "Steinerne Steg" as a link to the Sommer Promenade.

Certainly one of the most beautiful high-altitude promenades in Europe.
It runs for about 4 km/2.5 miles at a height of around 380m above Merano, out into the countryside. The path starts near the Gilf Promenade and snakes along the slopes of the Küchelberg/Monte San Benedetto mountain as far as the village of Gratsch/Quarazze. Once you have walked up to it, the path itself is level. As it winds its way, following the contours of the hill, it offers marvellous, ever-changing views over the roofs of the town and the entire Alpine landscape around Merano. There are a number of paths and steps leading up to the Tappeiner Promenade. The easiest is from the Galilei Strasse.
The Tappeiner Promenade was a gift to the town by Dr Franz Tappeiner, a renowned spa doctor, versatile scientist and acknowledged expert in tourism. He donated the footpath to the town on the occasion of his 50th anniversary as a doctor in 1893.
The Promenade is like a long thin botanical garden. In addition to local plants, there are also cork oaks, eucalyptus and nettle trees, strawberry trees, Mediterranean pines, various species of palm and bamboo trees, special cacti, agaves, magnolias, olive trees and exotic plants such as the Chinese windmill palm, which has in the meantime, become one of Merano's emblems. This promenade, with its luxuriant and exotic vegetation and wonderful views, is one of the glories of Merano.
Access: along the Tiroler Steig (steep track) behind the Parish Church, in Galilei Straße ( near the lower station of the Küchelberg/Monte San Benedetto chairlift), along Schlehdorfsteig in Verdi Straße and from The Gilf near Zenoburg castle and past the Pulverturm.

The On the Passer Promenade there is a beautiful complex of spa buildings, the most important architectural gems which have survived from Merano’s golden age. The neo-classical building on the left was the first Kurhaus (spa building) to be built.
Twelve gaslights illuminated it when it was festively opened in 1874. To this day, this part has remained almost unchanged, and is known as the Pavillon des Fleurs.
The building was designed both to host entertainments such as balls and concerts, and to house some spa treatment facilities. The former took place in the rooms facing the promenade, the latter were accessed from the Habsburgerstraße (now Freiheitsstraße). Entertainment played an important role in the life of the spa, and much effort was made to organise concerts, readings, parties, balls and other events. The original spa buildings featured a smoke room, a games room, a conversation room, a reading room (with magazines and newspapers from all over Europe), and a ladies' saloon. The largest room was the hall of mirrors - a ball and concert hall, with a provisional stage for theatrical events. Scientific lectures were also in great demand, especially those of medical nature, which established Merano as a venue for medical conferences, which it remains to this day. For a while, there was also gambling on offer. Initially it was organised privately in men's clubs, and then, briefly, after the Second World War at the official casino in the Kurhaus. Nowadays the Pavillon des Fleurs is an excellent venue for chamber music concerts.
The present shape of the spa building complex is dominated by the "new" Kurhaus wing, to the right of the Pavillon des Fleurs. Sadly, it was only opened on 31 December 1914, after the First World War had broken out. It is predominantly an Art Nouveau style building and was designed by the famous Vienna Secession architect, Friedrich Ohmann. It includes an elegant foyer with a spacious staircase, a gallery and the Kursaal - a grand ball or concert hall - which continues to attract world-class musicians and orchestras. The interior has very fine Art Nouveau stuccowork, gilded wrought iron decorations and ceiling frescoes. Outside, on the promenade one finds one of Merano’s hallmarks - the central rounded porch on four columns and the tympanum with dancing figures above it. is one of the most beautiful buildings dating from Merano's heyday as an international spa at the end of the 19th century.
The love of acting has a long tradition in the Tyrol. Theatrical performances at the ducal courts are recorded from the 15th century onwards. In the 19th century Merano had a small theatre in the Lauben and performances were also held in the Pavillon des Fleurs. Towards the end of the 19th century the citizens of Merano decided to build their own theatre. "It shall be modern and extravagant, just like us," - that was how the townsfolk envisaged their new theatre. They were bitterly disappointed when the then young, inexperienced and unknown German architect, Martin Dülfer, was commissioned to design and build the theatre. When it was opened, however, on 1 December 1900 after a construction period of only a year, the citizens of Merano were pleasantly surprised. It was the work of a first class architect. The elegant facade and the interior décor combined a variety of forms and styles, including neo-classical and Art Nouveau, with exquisite marble and stucco ornamentation on the inside and outside. Martin Dülfer belonged to the Münchner Gruppe (Munich Group)of architects and became one of the most imaginative founders of German Art Nouveau (Jugendstil). The success of the Merano theatre contributed to making him one of the most sought-after architects of the time.
At first, plays and popular Viennese operettas were performed in the new theatre. After the First World War, in the time of the Fascist occupation, Italian operas were popular, and the theatre was given the name of "Puccini" in 1937. Giacomo Puccini, the great opera composer, visited Merano in 1923. In the seventies, after years of neglect, renovation began with great attention to detail, and no expense was spared in restoring the theatre to its original glory.

The Civic Theatre is one of the most beautiful buildings dating from Merano's heyday as an international spa at the end of the 19th century.
The love of acting has a long tradition in the Tyrol. Theatrical performances at the ducal courts are recorded from the 15th century onwards. In the 19th century Merano had a small theatre in the Lauben and performances were also held in the Pavillon des Fleurs. Towards the end of the 19th century the citizens of Merano decided to build their own theatre. "It shall be modern and extravagant, just like us," - that was how the townsfolk envisaged their new theatre. They were bitterly disappointed when the then young, inexperienced and unknown German architect, Martin Dülfer, was commissioned to design and build the theatre. When it was opened, however, on 1 December 1900 after a construction period of only a year, the citizens of Merano were pleasantly surprised. It was the work of a first class architect. The elegant facade and the interior décor combined a variety of forms and styles, including neo-classical and Art Nouveau, with exquisite marble and stucco ornamentation on the inside and outside. Martin Dülfer belonged to the Münchner Gruppe (Munich Group)of architects and became one of the most imaginative founders of German Art Nouveau (Jugendstil). The success of the Merano theatre contributed to making him one of the most sought-after architects of the time.
At first, plays and popular Viennese operettas were performed in the new theatre. After the First World War, in the time of the Fascist occupation, Italian operas were popular, and the theatre was given the name of "Puccini" in 1937. Giacomo Puccini, the great opera composer, visited Merano in 1923. In the seventies, after years of neglect, renovation began with great attention to detail, and no expense was spared in restoring the theatre to its original glory.

The Parish Church is situated on the square at the top end of the Lauben (Arcades). It is dedicated to St Nicholas, patron of children, seamen, businessmen and traders. Its steeple (83 metres) is one of the highest in the South Tyrol and is the hallmark of Merano's old town. The parish church is one of the earliest pure Gothic architectural monuments in the Tyrol, and Merano’s largest church. It is a German-style “Hall church” with 3 aisles of equal height. The earliest part of the church is the choir begun in 1302. The main body of the church was completed by 1465. There are a number of interesting frescos on the outside, including a large 15th century St Christopher. There is a very fine statue of St Nicholas, dating from around 1340-1350, to the left of the south door. Inside the church, there are a number of items of interest, including a late Gothic winged altar in the left aisle, original Medieval glass in the windows above and to the right of the south entrance, two fine 18th century paintings - the Nativity and the Last Supper - by the Tyrolean artist, Martin Knoller, and exquisitely carved neo-Gothic choir stalls and confessionals.

This remarkable church is situated just across the river, outside the old town centre and the former town walls, on the route north from Bolzano. In the Middle Ages it was the church for a hospital that used to adjoin it, and offered accommodation to pilgrims, as well as the sick and old. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful houses of worship in South Tyrol, and virtually unchanged since it was built in the 15th century. A church on this site was founded by Meinhard II, Count of Tyrol, and his wife Elisabeth von Wittelsbach in 1271. In 1419 the Passer/Passirio flooded the area and the original church was completely destroyed. The reconstruction of the church was concluded in 1483 by Archduke Sigismund. Outside, the church is simple, apart from a very fine carved Gothic entrance porch portraying the Trinity. Inside, like the parish church, it is a German-style 'hall church' with nave and aisles of equal height. Unusually, however, it has no chancel arch and both side aisles continue round to form an ambulatory, creating a wonderful feeling of space. It has a number of fine carved altars and paintings, and an unusual fresco of the Trinity with the Holy Spirit as an old man in the vaulting over the high altar.

This little castle is well worth a visit. It belonged to the Habsburg Archdukes who ruled in Tyrol in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is a delightful example of a late Medieval residence with Gothic items of furniture from Emperor Maximilian I's time. Archduke Sigmund der Münzreiche (the wealthy) a flamboyant and extravagant ruler, probably had the castle built in the second half of the 15th century for his wife Eleonore, who was the daughter of James I of Scotland. It has beautiful panelled rooms and ancient frescos, a room where Emperor Maximilian slept, one of the oldest and finest Gothic tiled stoves in existence, a chapel with a 16th century fresco, and a kitchen. Among other things it houses a collection of historical musical instruments and a collection of weapons.
Museum in Galileistraße, not far from the Arcades and the town hall, in the heart of Merano
tel. 0473 - 25 03 29
Opening times:
closed only in January and February
Tue-Sat: 10 am - 5 pm,
Sun and public holidays: 10 am - 1 pm
closed on Mon
Guided tours: At any time by prior arrangement and weekly during the summer months. A booklet in English, explaining the main exhibits, can be borrowed at the cash desk.
Admission: Adults: Euro 2.00 Children (aged 4-16) and senior citizens: Euro 1,50

One of Merano’s most recent attractions, which is especially appropriate for a town of parks and gardens is the magnificent Botanical gardens opened in 2001. Trauttmansdorff Castle, in the middle of the Gardens, houses an interesting Museum of Tourism (see Touriseum). A single ticket gives access to both the Gardens and the Museum.
The Gardens are laid out on the eastern edge of Merano and can be quickly and comfortably reached by means of buses 1B and 4, and there is a large car and coach park. The hillside location of the botanical gardens, for the most part facing south-west, favours the growth of both local and exotic flora and is a demonstration of Merano's especially mild micro-climate.
The entire area extends over 12 hectares/29.7 acres (the Gardens cover about 8.5 ha/21 acres). It has a footpath network of nearly 7 km/4.3 miles and vertical drops of up to 100 metres/105 yards. It is home to a unique plant world comprising 4,000 different species and 17,000 individual plants.
It is run by the Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Laimburg.
Opening hours: 01st April to 15th November 06: daily from 9 am to 6 pm, during the summer months from 9 am to 9 pm
Admission: Single ticket Euros 9,50, children up to the age of 6 free of charge; various reductions and guided tours are offered