I have spent many months in Italy over the years. This time I will be stopping in Salerno for a day on a cruise ship. My traveling partner hates group tours or tours of any length and I'm wondering what to do - spend the whole day in Salerno, take the ferry to Amalfi and/or Positano, etc? Is there enough to keep us busy in Salerno for 4 or 5 hours just wandering around, drinking, and eating? The cruise ship offers a three hour tour taking you to a farm where olive oil and wine are produced - she would like that if it was a private tour. Does anyone know of any private local tours like that? Open to all suggestions. I have been all over the AC and would like to keep this simple for her sake. Thanks!

How much time do you actually have in port? What time of year? Ferries don't run often so the timing may not work for Positano/Amalfi.

I would recommend Paestum if it works time wise. The temples are beautiful and I have heard the museum is excellent although I didn't have time to visit that too. Relax with a nice lunch.

You could easily do it yourself by bus from Salerno, or hire a private driver.

Buon viaggio!

Another vote for Paestum.

Have you tried googling for a private tour? I have seen some offered for mozzarella producers, olive oil and pasta factories (they area has a tremendous tradition of pasta-making). It is likely that you can find someone to meet the ship, but I would expect it to be cheap.

Paestum is also a great destination and you could do that by yourselves.

Try to visit Paestum if possible, and try to make time for its excellent museum, too.

Salerno is, IMO, vastly underrated, but it's main sites (the Cathedral and Diocesan Museum) have a VERY long siesta, so check the hours before deciding whether to stay in Salerno itself. That said, Salerno's Lungomare is gorgeous and the Old Town is, IMO, interesting enough to warrant a leisurely stroll.

No need for a private guide for either -- just get a good guidebook, e.g., the Rough Guide.

While in the area, do consider stopping for a taste of something with fresh buffalo mozzarella -- SO good!

Although I think they may only run during the warmer months, there is a ferry that goes from Salerno to Positano by way of Amalfi. You can get off in Amalfi and spend 90 minutes and then hop the next ferry to Positano.

My wife and I took a train from Naples while on a cruise and did this. We ended up having lunch at Hotel San Pietro, which we really enjoyed.

Have fun!

The ferries run from April through October, weather depending. www.coopsantandrea.com for the schedule.

But another vote for Paestum.

My vote is either for Paestum by train, or staying in Salerno itself to visit the Cathedral, stroll around the Old Town, and walk along the 2-kilometer Lungomare in both directions.