Amsterdam for Delta Sky: You’ve got an extra day to kill in the Dutch capital. Here’s what you do.

Neither a freewheeling backpacker’s paradise nor the stolid, staid “Venice of the North,” Amsterdam is in fact one of Europe’s most dynamic cities, home to innovative art, design and dining scenes that are rivaled by its city planners’ own ambitions. For proof, look across the River IJ to the up-and-coming Amsterdam Noord district, which is proving to be fertile ground for gallerists and restaurateurs—or anyone looking for a cocktail at a sky bar 20 floors above the city. But rest assured: The classic Amsterdam—the city of 17th-century merchant houses that rise above sun-dappled canals—still beckons.

DINE
Breakfast is better at airy Café de Jaren, where a detox special (granola with coconut, banana, pumpkin seeds and Greek yogurt plus a ginger tea) comes with a view of the River Amstel. Settle in for lunch at cozy Tomaz, a temple to Dutch fare, and book in advance for dinner at the conceptually minded De Culinaire Werkplaats, where recent “food narratives” (read: set menus) have focused on time and the beauty of imperfection.

ART & DESIGN
Already up-to-date on the Rembrandts, Vermeers and Van Goghs? The new Moco Museum is hosting exhibits on street artist Banksy and Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí this month. Dutch contemporary design is best explored at the Droog flagship store, which offers an exhibition space and a single hotel room as well as best-in-class souvenirs, such as Rody Graumans’ famed “85 Lamps” chandelier.

HEAD NOORD
Take a free, 10-minute ferry from Centraal Station across the River IJ to explore the ambitious A’DAM Toren development, heading to 20th-floor Madam bar and restaurant for killer views over cocktails or to The Butcher Social Club & Terrace for 24-hour burgers (weekends only, weekdays until 1 a.m.). Nearby, the EYE Filmmuseum hosts cutting-edge film installations as well as first-run movies.

HISTORY
While the crowds rightfully line up to explore the Anne Frank House, the Dutch Resistance Museum offers a moving tribute to the plight of Amsterdammers during the five-year Nazi occupation. A tour with Black Heritage Amsterdam, meanwhile, provides a new perspective on the Dutch Golden Age—including a stop at the fascinating National Maritime Museum, which painstakingly dramatizes Dutch culpability in the slave trade.

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