15 of the hottest queer men from Iceland

Elska Magazine, the publication dedicated to hot gay bi and trans men of all types, has returned to its readers’ favorite destination – Iceland.

And now it’s sharing its photos of Iceland’s men to help people travel from their armchairs while they can’t take trips abroad.

Editor Liam Campbell completed the Iceland shoot prior to COVID-19 lockdown. And he’s shared some of the best photos with GSN readers.

As well as showcasing Iceland’s men and sharing their voices, he also explores a key part of Icelandic culture – swimming pools.

Iceland has abundant geothermal power. So the pools are all heated by natural hot springs.

Campbell said: ‘The swimming pool in Iceland holds a key spot in society, akin to the pub in Britain or the shopping mall in the USA.

‘Yet rather than its alcohol-centric or consumerist counterparts, it’s rather more wholesome, and also delightfully homoerotic.

‘Perhaps this is one reason why Iceland is one of the world’s major hotspots for LGBTQ travellers!’

Alongside producing the next edition of the magazine, he’s created  ‘A Gay Guide to Swimming in Iceland’.

In it, he shares information about 15 pools, some of it practical and some ‘cheeky’. This includes ‘how to navigate pool etiquette, how friendly the staff were, or even how hot the guys in the showers were’.

The return of Elka Reykjavík 

We’ve previously followed Elska’s journey to Belgium, Mumbai, Toronto, Taiwan, Lisbon, Mexico, Amsterdam and many more.

Some of the destinations are more diverse than others. However, put together, they show a range of guys, from all different races, body types and ages.

But Campbell says Elska’s previous visit to Iceland was its most popular edition ever. He first produced ‘Elska Reykjavík’ – about Iceland’s capital – in 2016. And it became his best-selling edition of the magazine, completely selling out.

Then this year, he asked fans which Elska issue to bring back and Reykjavík won.

But he said: ‘Rather than do a simple reprint, the issue was remade from scratch. It resulted in over 50% previously unpublished images, a few new stories, a new cover, and two men who weren’t in the original publication.’

You can get the swimming pool book, Elska Magazine and a book of outtakes here.