Giresun is lucky when it comes to views. Because its coast faces west, sunsets sit over the sea, and because the mountains rise so quickly behind it, you can go from sea level to a sea of clouds in a few minutes. Below I have gathered the spots that work for sunset and views, with where and what time to go.
In the city: the castle and Gedikkaya
In the city the two best spots are Giresun Castle and the Gedikkaya hill. The castle gathers the island, the harbour and the hazelnut groves into one frame; going up half an hour before sunset is best. Gedikkaya is a quieter viewpoint off the tourist route; from here the city, the island and the coast stretching east are seen together, and it is ideal for the morning mist too.
On the shore: west-facing terraces
The west-facing business terraces on the coast road are the easiest option for sunset; you sit down and the view comes to you. The high terraces on the castle road offer a view from hundreds of metres above the sea. Going in the late afternoon and waiting for the sun to drop into the sea is the easiest view experience in the city.
On the coast: Uluburun and turquoise coves
If you are willing to go a little further from the city, the Uluburun cove on the Espiye-Keşap border offers a view where the mountains drop to the sea and the water turns turquoise. It reaches its most striking state before sunset, in the hours when the mountains cast their shadow over the sea. The shore is stony, so comfortable shoes help.
Up high: Sisdağı and the sea of clouds
For a view from above, the top of Sisdağı offers a "sea of clouds" that lives up to its name: the mist climbing from the valley passes below your feet. It is reached in about an hour via Görele or Beşikdüzü. As the weather on Sisdağı can change within minutes, the early morning hours are safer.
Time and light
There are two golden times. Early morning, when the mist climbs from the sea up the slopes and the air is at its clearest, is ideal for the castle, Gedikkaya and the highlands. The hour before sunset in the late afternoon is the right time for the coast and west-facing spots. At midday the light is hard and flat, the weakest time for landscape photography.
On the map
All these spots are marked on the map; you can find the viewpoint nearest to you from there.
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