Giresun was known to the ancient Greeks as Choerades or more prominently as Kerasous or Cerasus, the origin of the modern name.

Pharnaces I of Pontus renamed the city Pharnacia after himself after he captured the city in 183 BC, and it was called by that name as late as the 2nd century AD. According to A. H. M. Jones, the city officially reverted to its original name, Kerasous, in 64 AD.

The Greek name Kerasous was Turkified into Giresun after Turks gained permanent control of the region in the late 15th century.

The English word cherry, French cerise, Spanish cereza, and Turkish kiraz, among countless others, all come from Ancient Greek "cherry tree". According to Pliny, the cherry was first exported from Cerasus to Europe in Roman times by Lucullus.

The surrounding region has a rich agriculture, growing most of Turkey's hazelnuts as well as walnuts, cherries, leather and timber, and the port of Giresun has long handled these products. The harbour was enlarged in the 1960s, and the town is still a port and commercial centre for the surrounding districts.

Like everywhere else on the Black Sea coast, it rains (and often snows in winter) and is very humid throughout the year, with a lack of extreme temperatures both in summer and winter. As a result, Giresun and the surrounding countryside are covered with luxuriant flora. Just beyond the city are hazelnut groves, and there are high pastures (yayla) further in the mountains.

Places of interest include:

• The well preserved Giresun Castle in the city centre
• Giresun Island
• Museum, Children’s Library, Haci Hüseyin Mosque, Kale Mosque, Seyyid-i Vakkas Tomb, Mausoleum of Topal Osman
• Old Ottoman houses of Zeytinlik district
• Highlands (Kümbet, Bektas, Kulakkaya, Çakrak, Tohumluk, Kurtbeli, Kazikbeli, Ayibeli, Beytarla, Bulari, Kirkharman)
• Kuzalan Falls and Blue Lake