Off of College Hill sits Comina (201 Wayland Ave., 401/273-4522, comina.com, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.), a jumble of pretty home accessories and European furnishings—both new and antique.

Strictly contemporary treasures are found at Martina & Company (120 N. Main St., 401/351-0968, www.martinacompany.com, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Tue.–Wed. and Fri.; 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat.), a gallery space exhibiting the city’s premiere collection of jewelry. Keep an eye out for cutting-edge pieces (silver industrial chokers and wire-wrapped diamond bracelets) as well as more traditional (elegant engagement rings and delicate semiprecious earrings).

With the addition of Providence Place Mall (71 Providence Pl., 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 12 p.m.–6 p.m. Sun.) in the last few years, Downtown Providence now has an easy-to-access downtown mall full of national high-end chains. Of particular note is Nordstrom (6 Providence Place, 401/621-3111, www.nordstrom.com), one of the only in New England. The national luxury department store stocks clothes by designers like Trina Turk and Ralph Lauren, Dooney & Burke, and Marc Jacobs.

Brush up on quantum mechanics or Derrida at Symposium Books (240 Westminster St., 401/273-7900, www.symposiumbooks.com, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Wed.; 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Thu.–Sat.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun.), a huge bookstore opened by expat Manhattanites and catering to the city’s collegiate crowd.

Contrary to expectations, Cellar Stories (111 Mathewson St., 401/521-2665, www.cellarstories.com) occupies the upper floor of a Downcity warehouse with the largest selection of used books in Rhode Island—including a good selection of rare books and first editions.