Giresun

Understand

Cherries probably originated in these parts: the town's ancient name was kerasos in Greek and cerasus in Latin. The mountain slopes suit them (they need cold winters) and cultivated cherries were brought to Rome in 72 BC. Hazelnuts also do well: a third of the world's production is from the strip between Giresun and Ordu.

The original core of the city is around a promontory and natural harbour. The earliest substantial remains are on the heights, from the citadel from the Byzantine era and its offshoot Empire of Trebizond. Giresun now spreads for several km either side along a beach strip. It has domestic tourism and a relatively liberal culture compared with its neighbours in the region, but international tourists seldom come this way. In legend the Argonauts stopped off here on their quest for the Golden Fleece, as they'd heard about the Amazon women's fertility rites on Giresun Island. They'd have blanched and fled all the way back to Thessaly if they knew what western women get up to in Turkish resorts nowadays.

Get in

Giresun stands on the coastal highway D010, 200 km east of Samsun and 130 km west of Trabzon.

() has flights every couple of hours from Istanbul (both and ), and once a day from Ankara and Izmir. The airport is clean and adequate for its limited throughput, with the usual facilities including car hire. It's 32 km west of Giresun, built on reclaimed land into the Black Sea. Havas shuttle bus runs downtown. You could also pick up a dolmuş on the nearby highway.

Trabzon Airport () 137 km east has more domestic, European, and Middle Eastern flights.

Buses from Istanbul run every couple of hours and take 15 hours via Gebze, Samsun and Ordu; those from Ankara take 11 hours. Most buses continue east along the coast to Trabzon (2 hours), and one per day continues to Rize and Batumi in Georgia. Bus lines are Metro Turizm and Flixbus.

is the inter-city bus station, 4 km west of the old core of town.

Get around

The old core of town is walkable, but the town straggles out along the coast. Dolmuşes ply the main streets.

See

thumb | 300px | The citadel Zeytinlik is the old quarter inland from the museum, with many Ottoman merchants' mansions along its cobbled alleys. Kale Mosque at the west foot of the citadel hill was built in its present form in 1830. Kapo Mosque or Seyyid Mehmet Pasha Mosque is 100 m further south. It was first built in wood in 1593, but demolished and re-built in stone in 1896. thumb | 300px | Topal Osman was Atatürk’s bodyguard Seyyid Vakkas Tomb is a little octagonal kiosk on Bekirpaşa Cd, 100 m east of Kapo Mosque. He fell in battle in the 15th century but this tomb is 19th century. Çınarlar Mosque 100 m east of the tomb was completed in 1896. Haci Huseyin Mosque is on Poyraz Cd by the marina. It was built in 1861. Haci Miktad Mosque by the freight harbour was built in 1889. Giresun Island Botanical Garden is just a tired strip of grass east of the marina with a view of the island. 1.2 km offshore is the largest Turkish island in the Black Sea, all 200 m x 200 m of it. Boat trips visit; push your way through the shrubbery to view the ruins of a roofless temple (circa 3rd century BC), Roman fortifications, and a monastery (5th / 6th century AD). The island was abandoned in the 15th century. Breathless legends from ancient times to the present claim it was the abode of Amazons, insatiable man-hungry female warriors, they wish. (Kuzalan Tabiat Parkı) starts 47 km south of Giresun on D865 towards Dereli and Sivas. The first attraction is the waterfalls on the mountain…

Do

thumb | 300px | Peering down into Mavi Göl Beaches: the best are west of town beyond the bus station, in Teyyaredüzü district. Football: Giresunspor play soccer in TFF 2. Lig, the third tier. Their home ground Çotanak Sports Complex (capacity 21,500) is southeast edge of town on D865. Their former ground Ataturk Stadium has been demolished. Marina: small leisure craft berth east side of old town. The commercial freight harbour is west side.

Buy

Lots of small supermarkets, usually open 08:30-22:00.

Hazelnuts and their products (eg butter) are abundant, but check your own country's import regulations before buying to take home.

Eat

thumb | 300px | Giresun Island: no Amazons here Old town has Ziyade, Giresun Sanayicileri, Serender, Bohca Manti, Big Bros, Mustafa Patar desserts and Haşlamacı for soup.

There's a string of eateries along the seafront west.

Drink

Giresun's free-standing bars folded during Covid. Try the cafes and restaurants.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | The museum is in a former church Ramada Giresun is 5 km east of the airport, 25 km west of town.

Connect

As of May 2025, Giresun and the coast highway have 4G from all Turkish carriers, but there's no signal in the mountains further south. 5G has not yet rolled out in Turkey.