Major city · Türkiye (Turkey)
Giresun
Give Giresun one night as a Black Sea coast stop: citadel, Zeytinlik lanes and the island. Two nights only if you add Kuzalan falls.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- TRY
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- avoid Dec–Mar (wet and grey); the coast road is busy in the Kurban Bayram week
- Airports
- OGU · TZX
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 5
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Check whether your passport is visa-exempt; if it is not, apply only at evisa.gov.tr — lookalike sites charge extra and some sell nothing.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗At mosques cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off at the door, and women carry a headscarf; stay out during prayer times.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Taxis must run the taximeter; refuse flat quotes, or book through BiTaksi or Uber so the ride is logged.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Carry lira in small notes for tea, markets, tips and toilets; prices move with inflation, so treat every printed price as dated.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Do not take stones, coins or tiles from ancient sites, and export no antiques without a museum certificate; travellers have been detained at airport customs.
Giresun is a working Black Sea port of about 144,000 people, strung along a beach strip below a Byzantine-era citadel. It is a hazelnut and cherry town with Ottoman merchant lanes, a small offshore island and mountain waterfalls to the south. International travellers rarely stop; domestic tourists come for the coast and the food. It works best as one night on the D010 between Samsun and Trabzon, or two with a day south to Kuzalan.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Giresun, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY).Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckTurkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Tap waterTap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- TippingcheckSit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- SafetyGiresun is calm and low-crime by Turkish city standards; the real risks are wet roads on the coast highway…
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Emergency numbers112 All emergencies (police, fire, ambulance) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidayscheckMany museums close Monday (Topkapı closes Tuesday) — check; mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers and Friday midday…Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportOGU Ordu-Giresun Airport (32 km west of town, built on reclaimed land; flights every couple of hours from Istanbul (IST and SAW)…OGU Ordu-Giresun Airport (20 mi west of town, built on reclaimed land; flights every couple of hours from Istanbul (IST and SAW)…
- Getting aroundThe old core is walkable in 15 minutes end to end, but the city spreads several km along the coast.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeTurkish coffee or tea₺40–90 (≈ US$1–3)
- Street or quick mealFish or kebab main₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15)
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miTaxi across townMetered; agree the fare for longer runs.₺150–300 (≈ US$4–8)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15)
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Giresun Museum)Free (check current hours)
- Budget bedHostel or basic guesthouse bed, a night, per person₺500 (≈ US$13)
- Mid-range bedMid hotel double room, a night, per room₺2,500 (≈ US$65)
- High-end bedMid hotel double room, a night, per room₺4,000 (≈ US$100)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₺1,200 (≈ US$30) · Mid ₺2,200 (≈ US$55) · High ₺4,000 (≈ US$100)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- OGU Ordu-Giresun Airport (32 km west of town, built on reclaimed land; flights every couple of hours from Istanbul (IST and SAW), about daily from Ankara and Izmir. Havas shuttle runs downtown; a dolmuş on the nearby highway is cheaper (check times).) · TZX Trabzon Airport (137 km east, about 2 h by road; more domestic and some European and Middle Eastern flights.)OGU Ordu-Giresun Airport (20 mi west of town, built on reclaimed land; flights every couple of hours from Istanbul (IST and SAW), about daily from Ankara and Izmir. Havas shuttle runs downtown; a dolmuş on the nearby highway is cheaper (check times).) · TZX Trabzon Airport (85 mi east, about 2 h by road; more domestic and some European and Middle Eastern flights.)
Weather and climate
Giresun: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
11°C52°F
5°C41°F
14 rd
Feb
11°C52°F
5°C41°F
13 rd
Mar
13°C55°F
6°C43°F
14 rd
Apr
16°C61°F
9°C48°F
13 rd
May
20°C68°F
13°C55°F
12 rd
Jun
25°C77°F
17°C63°F
10 rd
Jul
28°C82°F
20°C68°F
8 rd
Aug
28°C82°F
20°C68°F
8 rd
Sep
25°C77°F
17°C63°F
10 rd
Oct
21°C70°F
14°C57°F
12 rd
Nov
17°C63°F
10°C50°F
12 rd
Dec
13°C55°F
7°C45°F
14 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The old core is walkable in 15 minutes end to end, but the city spreads several km along the coast. Dolmuşes run the main streets and the coast road; fares are cash, small notes. Taxis are metered and cheap by European standards. There is no metro or tram. For Kuzalan you need a car, taxi or a tour, as public transport up D865 is limited (check).
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Kuzalan Nature Park and Göksu travertines
goDoor to door: About 1 h each way
Drive or taxi south on D865 towards Dereli, about 47 kmDrive or taxi south on D865 towards Dereli, about 29 mi
Waterfalls, then a boardwalk to Mavi Göl and travertine pools 3 km further. Half a day; no useful public transport (check).Waterfalls, then a boardwalk to Mavi Göl and travertine pools 1.9 mi further. Half a day; no useful public transport (check).
Giresun Island
cautionDoor to door: About 15 min each way
Boat from the marina east of the old town
Small island with temple, fort and monastery ruins. Trips are seasonal and weather-dependent: confirm at the harbour before planning the day.
Ordu
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Bus or dolmuş west along D010
Museums, mosques and a beach strip; easy half-day.
Trabzon
overnightDoor to door: About 2 h
Bus east along D010, or drive
Sümela Monastery and the region's best heritage: sleep there rather than return.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Old core and Zeytinlik
Walkable to the citadel, museum, marina and most restaurants; budget and mid hotels sit on the lanes off Osmanağa Cd and Gazi Cd.
Seafront west of the harbour
Newer, smarter hotels with sea views; 15–25 min walk or a short dolmuş ride from the old core.
Teyyaredüzü (west, near the otogar)
Best beach strip and the bus station; useful for a late arrival or an early departure, thin on evening food.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₺1,200–2,000 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
- Mid
- ₺2,000–3,500 (≈ US$50–90) excl. bed
- High
- ₺3,500 (≈ US$90)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid hotel double room1 × 1 night × ₺2,500 | ₺2,500 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ₺2,200 | ₺4,400 |
| Havas shuttle, OGU airport to town, one way2 × ₺150 · check | ₺300 |
| Dolmuş ride in town2 × ₺30 · check | ₺50 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₺400 | ₺800 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ₺810 |
| Trip total≈ ₺4,430 per person per day, bed included | ₺8,860≈ US$250 |
2026 estimate in lira; intercity buses and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Turkish coffee or tea | ₺40–90 (≈ US$1–3) |
| Soup or pide | ₺120–250 (≈ US$3–7) |
| Fish or kebab main | ₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15) |
| Hazelnut butter, 500 g | ₺200–400 (≈ US$5–10) |
| Museum entry (Giresun Museum) | Free (check current hours) |
| Taxi across townMetered; agree the fare for longer runs. | ₺150–300 (≈ US$4–8) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The Black Sea coast is wet year-round: pack a rain shell even in July.
- Swim only at the marked beach strips west of town; the harbour and river mouths have currents.
- Some small hotels and restaurants take cash only: carry lira in small notes.
- The citadel path is steep and uneven, with loose stone near the walls.
- Buy hazelnuts and hazelnut butter for home only after checking your own country's food import rules.
Emergency numbers
- All emergencies (police, fire, ambulance)
- 112
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
GiresunGiresun
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Bu adrese, lütfenTo this address, please
Emergency
- All emergencies112
Embassy
No embassies in Giresun; the US, UK and most others keep embassies in Ankara and consulates-general in Istanbul. Consular help on this coast usually comes from Trabzon or Ankara (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- OGU airport → Giresun centre, Havas shuttle: about ₺150 (≈ US$4), about 40 min (check)
- Giresun → Trabzon, intercity bus: about ₺250–400 (≈ US$7–10), about 2 h (check)
- Taxi, old town → Teyyaredüzü beach: ₺150–250 (≈ US$4–7) (check)
Say or show
- Merhaba — Hello (mer-ha-BA)
- Teşekkürler — Thank you (teh-shek-kewr-LER)
- Ne kadar? — How much is it? (neh ka-DAR)
- Kartla ödeyebilir miyim? — Can I pay by card? (kart-la ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim)
- Tuvalet nerede? — Where is the toilet? (too-va-LET NEH-reh-deh)
- Hesap, lütfen — The bill, please (heh-SAP lewt-FEN)
Cash is still king in small shops and dolmuşes; keep ₺5–100 notes.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Giresun. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Dec–Mar (wet and grey); the coast road is busy in the Kurban Bayram week · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for OGU: Havas shuttle times, dolmuş fallback on the highway, taxi cost to the old core.
- Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: citadel and Zeytinlik, museum and marina, seafront west.
- Place pages with verified hours (Giresun Museum, citadel, island boats) and eat pages with last orders.
- Kuzalan access fixture: car hire, taxi day rate and tour options so the day trip can go green.