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VIDEO: Five of Stockholm’s hidden gems you can see in a day

There's much more to Stockholm than Gamla stan, although seeking out its most hidden gems is no walk in the park (unless, of course, that park is stunning Djurgården).

Published: 1 June 2018 13:04 CEST

VIDEO: Five of Stockholm's hidden gems you can see in a day

Sweden's picturesque capital is a city full of surprises, you just need to know where to find them. And once you do, you can see some of the best that Stockholm has to offer in just a single day.

Don't believe us? We reckon we can convince you!

Watch the video above as The Local guides you around the hidden gems that Stockholmers like to keep to themselves. Just jump on the Arlanda Express when you touchdown at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and you can be in the heart of the city in 20 minutes, ready to kick off your whirlwind tour.

Treat yourself to handmade toffee at Pärlans Konfektyr on hip Södermalm island, wander through serene UNESCO world heritage site Skogskyrkogården, enjoy typically Swedish dishes and spectacular views at Eriks Gondolen, hop on the ferry to Fjäderholmarna, and pay a visit to historic Hallwylska House.

And if you think we've missed something out, you'll just have to tick it off your list next time you touchdown for a day in Stockholm.

Get from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to the city centre in just 20 minutes

Don't waste time while you're in Stockholm. Get to the city centre as fast and easy as possible by booking your airport transfer with the Arlanda Express, the fastest route between Arlanda Airport and downtown.

READ MORE: Can you really see Stockholm in a day? Yes, here's how

This content was produced by The Local's Creative Studio and sponsored by Arlanda Express.

IN IMAGES: Spain's 'scrap cathedral' lives on after creator's death

File photo taken on August 3, 1999 shows Justo Gallego Martinez, then 73, posing in front of his cathedral. Photo: ERIC CABANIS / AFP

The 96-year-old died over the weekend, but left the unfinished complex in Mejorada del Campo to a charity run by a priest that has vowed to complete his labour of love.

Gallego began the project in 1961 when he was in his mid-30s on land inherited from his family after a bout of tuberculosis forced him to leave an order of Trappist monks.

Today, the “Cathedral of Justo” features a crypt, two cloisters and 12 towers spread over 4,700 square metres (50,600 square feet), although the central dome still does not have a cover.

He used bricks, wood and other material scavenged from old building sites, as well as through donations that began to arrive once the project became better known.

A woman prays at the Cathedral of Justo on November 26, 2021. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

The building’s pillars are made from stacked oil drums while windows have been cobbled and glued together from shards of coloured glass.

“Recycling is fashionable now, but he used it 60 years ago when nobody talked about it,” said Juan Carlos Arroyo, an engineer and architect with engineering firm Calter.

Men work at the Cathedral of Justo on November 26, 2021 in Mejorada del Campo, 20km east of Madrid. — Men work at the Cathedral of Justo on November 26, 2021 in Mejorada del Campo, 20km east of Madrid. Photo: (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

The charity that is taking over the project, “Messengers of Peace”, hired the firm to assess the structural soundness of the building, which lacks a permit.

No blueprint

“The structure has withstood significant weather events throughout its construction,” Arroyo told AFP, predicting it will only need some “small surgical interventions”.

Renowned British architect Norman Foster visited the site in 2009 — when he came to Spain to collect a prize — telling Gallego that he should be the one getting the award, Arroyo added.

Religious murals on a walls of Justo's cathedral. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP) — Religious murals on a walls of Justo’s cathedral. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

The sturdiness of the project is surprising given that Gallego had no formal training as a builder, and he worked without a blueprint.

In interviews, he repeatedly said that the details for the cathedral were “in his head” and “it all comes from above”.

Builders work on the dome of the Cathedral of Justo on November 26th. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

The complex stands in a street called Avenida Antoni Gaudi, named after the architect behind Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica which has been under construction since 1883.

But unlike the Sagrada Familia, the Cathedral of Justo Gallego as it is known is not recognised by the Roman Catholic Church as a place of worship.

Visit gaze at the stained glass and busts in of the cathedral's completed sections. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP) — Visit gaze at the stained glass and busts in of the cathedral’s completed sections. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

‘Worth visiting’

Father Angel Garcia Rodriguez, the maverick priest who heads Messengers of Peace, wants to turn Gallego’s building into an inclusive space for all faiths and one that is used to help the poor.

“There are already too many cathedrals and too many churches, that sometimes lack people,” he said.

“It will not be a typical cathedral, but a social centre where people can come to pray or if they are facing difficulties,” he added.

A photo of Justo Gallego Martinez on display at his cathedral following his passing. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

Father Angel is famous in Spain for running a restaurant offering meals to the homeless and for running a church in central Madrid where pets are welcome and the faithful can confess via iPad.

Inside the Cathedral of Justo, volunteers continued working on the structure while a steady stream of visitors walked around the grounds admiring the building in the nondescript suburb.

“If the means are put in, especially materials and money, to finish it, then it will be a very beautiful place of worship,” said Ramon Calvo, 74, who was visiting the grounds with friends.

FIND OUT MORE: How to get to Justo’s Cathedral and more amazing images

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