Salerno to Capri and Sorrento in one day?

I've never taken a cruise, but I've heard that arrival time at a port doesn't equate to time you're ready to go off a junket. With the limited time, and the need to get back to Salerno. (an hour from Sorrento?), I suggest eliminating Capri from the plan. The Blue Grotto isn't all that wondrous, and you might not even be able to get in if the weather doesn't co-operate. My advice is go to Sorrento.

Icloutier, it would be helpful if your Profile showed where you live ... I have not yet been to Capri, but I will be going next month. I can tell you that if you have been to Southern Spain or the Baltic Coast or an American beach resort, you don't absolutely need to visit Sorrento. It's a perfectly nice postwar, reinforced concrete resort city, on a cliff with a great view of Vesuvius. It is otherwise much less remarkable than Capri and Annacapri. When we were in Sorrento we met no one who said the Grotto was as rewarding as advertised (and TIDE has great effect on this visit, but you have no time flexibility ... .) But I hear the rest of Capri is extremely attractive.

To summarize: Sorrento is pleasant. Capri is unusual and beautiful.

If I were docking in Salerno, I would go to the Greek temples at Paestum. But that is an art-history trip, not a "tourist" trip. They are hard to get to anywhere other than Salerno.

Note that if you are late, the ship will leave without you.

"postwar, reinforced concrete resort"

May be true of the newer parts of the town. However, in the original town (built on the ancient Roman street pattern) there are medieval streets/buildings, churches, artisan workshops, an ancient Greek gate leading to the original fishing marina and Greco/Roman city walls etc

Hey Linda, thanks for another perspective. We spent five nights in Sorrento, so I stand by my own impression. Our hotel was almost on the border of Sant Agnello, so we took a variety of substantial walks every day. And we walked down the hill from Sant' Agata. We saw every inch of the town.

I don't know if you'll see the connection, but Cologne, Germany is a hotbed of swell Roman monuments! But it was bombed flat in WW II.

The OP mentioned two possibilities for a rushed Cruise-Port Day. I was trying to help them distinguish between Capri and Sorrento. If I could only do one, in summer, it would be Capri.

This board, unlike many others, is good in that people do not argue with each other. However, the purpose of my post was to set right an incorrect description of Sorrento not to persuade anyone that it was better than any other place. It is a town that I have visited for holidays 60 times over the last 37 years.

Chances are very low that you would be able to see the Blue Grotto - I think you really must time your trip carefully, look at tide tables, etc., in order to actually get in to see it.

I'm not any kind of travel expert and can only give you a personal opinion, so here goes. I wasn't on a cruise but was on a tour and we only had the one day to go to Capri. Luckily the weather cooperated and we did get into the blue grotto and it was definitely interesting if you haven't seen anything like that before; I had been to other places with bioluminescent phenomena, just not in a grotto (sea cave) like that, so it wasn't that big of a deal for me, but it was fun getting there. But, that aside, I have to say that I enjoyed the rest of Capri so much that I would not have been disappointed even if we hadn't been able to see the grotto. We spent the night in Sorrento and it was lovely. Didn't have much time to explore the town but our hotel had a wonderful scenic view and it was great to relax on the patio with a glass of wine and watch the sunset. With only the day to see one or the other, I would most definitely pick Capri. I doubt if you could do both on your own without inviting stress about getting back to Salerno in time for the ship sailing. If the cruise has excursions that include both I might choose that option, even if it's more expensive than doing it on your own.

I would go to Capri, because of the amount of options that you have for activities and views......

I also, have been to Sorrento, and wasn't impressed........but that is coming from a gal who lived in Salerno for 2 years, and ADORES the Amalfi Coast.....

I would take the trip to Capri, to see the port (maybe even do the blue grotto, but when we went we were too late for the tide, so we had a private boat take us around the island, and we went in the mini blue grotto! it was great to do what we wanted with our own boat), then the bustling fancy main part of town, and then to Anacapri for the chairlift up to the top.....3 very different experiences, and less stuff to go wrong.....the good thing is that the ferry to Capri leaves from the same place as the cruise port, so that is one less thing to worry about during your trip.....the only thing you really have to worry about is getting back to the boat to take you back to Salerno.......if there are tours from your ship that go to all, I would maybe look into those, because they won't leave a ship sponsored tour behind.....