The Garðskagi lighthouses stand at the northern tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula, 12 km north of Keflavik, where the Faxaflói bay opens out to the open Atlantic. Two towers side by side: one from 1897 (the shorter, more decorated one) and one from 1944 (taller, more functional). The older lighthouse is considered one of the finest examples of late 19th-century lighthouse architecture in Iceland.
The birdwatching here is exceptional during migration seasons. Purple sandpipers, dunlin, red knots, and other waders work the shoreline alongside resident eiders and terns. In winter you might spot harlequin ducks in the surf. The view from the headland takes in the Snæfellsjökull glacier far to the north on a clear day.
The site is free, accessible year-round, and only 15 minutes from the airport — an easy stop if you have time before a flight.