The Caruggio Dritto — literally "the straight lane" — is the main street of Chiavari's old town, running east to west and lined with continuous colonnaded arcades on both sides. It is the defining physical feature of the city and gives Chiavari its nickname: the città dei portici, the city of arcades. The palaces that flank the street are mostly seventeenth- and eighteenth-century, built when Chiavari was one of the most prosperous ports on the Ligurian Riviera.
Walking the Caruggio Dritto is the essential Chiavari experience. Beneath the arcades are shops, cafes, and food vendors — including several excellent focaccerie, since Chiavari is firmly in Ligurian focaccia territory. The street is largely car-free and becomes a social promenade in the evenings. Allow enough time to look up at the palazzo facades above the shopfronts.