Blönduós: Discover river landscapes and textile history

Blönduós lies on Route 1, and the glacial river Blanda flows through the town. The old town lies by the open sea and preserves many original houses from the former heyday of this part of town. The river landscape, maritime setting and historic buildings give Blönduós several distinct aspects. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay, you can start by considering whether nature, local history or textile culture will shape your trip most.

River landscapes and seasonal nature experiences

The protected island of Hrútey lies in the Blanda near Blönduós and is considered one of the area’s natural attractions. It is closed in spring during the bird-breeding season. Outside this closure period, visitors can walk to the island via a footbridge and explore its hiking trails. If you include Hrútey in your travel plans, take the closure period into account for your intended dates. This lets you plan your island visit as a specific, seasonally limited nature experience.

Textile museum and creative work

Heimilisiðnaðarsafnið first opened in 1976. The textile museum in Blönduós is Iceland’s only museum specifically dedicated to textiles. It presents several unique and distinctive exhibitions on embroidery, Icelandic national costumes and wool. The Halldóra Room is dedicated to the life and work of Halldóra Bjarnadóttir (1873–1981). The museum also holds an annual special exhibition featuring Icelandic textile artists and designers. The range of topics therefore extends from materials and textile techniques to a personal tribute and the work of artists and designers.

The Icelandic Textile Center has a different focus. It is a private, nonprofit makerspace and creative center in Blönduós in northwest Iceland. The Center supports workshops in its TextileLab as well as a textile residency program. While the museum presents textile-related topics through exhibitions, supported workshops and the residency program are part of the Center’s profile. For your travel plans, these offer two different perspectives on textiles: exhibitions on the one hand, creative programs on the other.

Local history in buildings

Hillebrandshús also brings Blönduós’s architectural history to life: it is one of Iceland’s oldest wooden houses. It was built in Blönduós in 1877; before that, it had stood in Skagaströnd for 130 years. These details describe different stages in its history: its construction in Blönduós and its long previous location in Skagaströnd. Together with the old town’s original houses, it offers a tangible insight into the town’s historic buildings.

Blönduós as a holiday apartment destination

When choosing a holiday apartment in Blönduós, you can start by asking which aspect of the town you want to shape your trip. Hrútey offers a seasonal nature activity; the textile museum and the Icelandic Textile Center provide different perspectives on textile culture; and Hillebrandshús and the old town represent architectural history. You can weigh these topics against one another as you plan your trip, without reducing them to a single outing. If you want to include the island, its spring closure is a specific point to consider in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Hofsós, Laugarbakki, Lækjamót, Ríp, Hvammstangi, Skagaströnd, Varmahlíð, Hólar.

For the regional travel overview: Norðurland Vestra.