Amsterdam is a perfect weekend destination. The city is best known for its rich history, picturesque looks, endless miles of canals and an even larger number of bicycles (some 15,000 of which end up at the bottom of said canals every year). But don’t let the references to Messrs. Rembrandt and Van Gogh fool you: the locals are famously forward-thinking and if you peek behind the historic facades, you can find great contemporary art, cool design, and plenty of new culinary experiences.

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Being an art lover, I stayed in the cool DePijp neighborhood in the Sir Albert hotel, a stone’s throw from the Museumplein where the ever-efficient locals placed not one, not two, but four of the major city museums.

Most of the crowds hightail it to the grandfather of them all, the Rijksmuseum, and The Night Watch. If you’ve already covered the world-famous classics, I’d suggest checking out the Stedelijk museum instead. It has a great collection of the big names, from Piet Mondrian, Gerrit Rietveld, Yves Klein, and Roy Lichtenstein, to Nan Goldin. And if you really like contemporary art and the emerging intersection between art, nature and technology and happen to visit between now and the end of August, you MUST make a stop at the fantastic “Coded Nature” show by the local Studio Drift. Burning Man fans can revisit the spectacular Tree of Tenere that’s part of the exhibit.

After you’ve covered the Stedelijk, you can stop by the Van Gogh museum that always satisfies (remember that for special exhibits, you should book tickets online ahead of time) and check out the most recent addition to the Museumplein, the Moco, with works by Banksy, Warhol, and others. For those who want to keep going, it’s time to head out towards Keizersgracht to check out Foam, a go-to place for interesting photography from established as well as up-and-coming photographers, or stop by one of the many smaller galleries sprinkled around the streets of the picturesque Jordaan neighborhood. A few that had interesting art on display during my visit were Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Martin Van Zomeren, and the Torch gallery.

A visit to Amsterdam, however, would not be complete without taking a peek at the cool design thinking that the city has become known for as well. If you’re pressed for time, cover at least the big ones: step away from the historic center and into the Droog showroom (the showroom has a cool garden in the back and a café to grab breakfast) or head out to Westerstraat to find the playful world of Marcel Wanders and Mooi. (On your way back, you can meander through the cute De 9 Straatjes area to spot more new and quirky shops.)

EAT:

The foodie & design lovers will not be disappointed by Amsterdam, either. The cool cafes and restaurants have sprouted all over the city and you won’t go wrong. A few that I liked during my trip were the new Bar Fisk, Floreyn, a cute Baken met Passie bakery and Bakers and Roasters, all in the DePijp neighborhood. Smakelijk!