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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.

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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