Via dei Mercanti is the main artery of the medieval old town, a narrow pedestrianised lane that has served as the commercial heart of Salerno since at least the ninth century. The street runs east–west through the historic centre, lined with medieval archways, small churches, pottery shops, pasticcerie, and occasional stretches of exposed Roman masonry that have been incorporated into later buildings. It is one of the most characterful streets in Campania — less theatrical than the Spaccanapoli in Naples but more intimate and genuinely lived-in.
The street opens onto small piazzas, and several of the archways lead into quiet courtyards where you can still see medieval building work. The best section runs between Piazza Largo Campo and the area around the Duomo, where the density of historic fabric is highest. In the late afternoon, when the light falls sideways down the lane and the shops are busy, it is as fine a piece of southern Italian urban scenery as you will find. Look up — many of the upper floors show layers of architectural history stacked on top of each other, from Lombard arches to Baroque ornament to twentieth-century repair.