Together with the Buckingham Palace and Tower Of London, Bicester Village is fast becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in England and attracts more than six million visitors per year, according to Forbes.

A Short Train Ride From London

A luxury outlet shopping mall that is probably targeted mostly at tourists, Bicester Village is a short 45-minute direct train ride from London’s Marylebone Station. So it is very easy to get to.

This is quite different to most outlet shopping, which tends to be located at places that are generally very hard to get to. 

So I guess this is therefore one of the main appeals of Bicester Village shopping. And it is a reason why I decided to head down there for a day trip, during my time in England recently.

Upon alighting at the Bicester Village Station, it is a quick two-minute walk to the shopping mall, the appearance of which had caught me off-guard, once I had stepped inside.

Quaint English Countryside Village

This is because unlike most shopping malls, which are typically contained within a single, modern skyscraper-like building, Bicester Village takes on the appearance of a quaint-looking English countryside village. 

The design of Bicester Village is pretty breathtaking, to be honest, with wood-panelled architecture and the pastel-coloured shop houses with their dark, grey roofs.

And everything is contained in a single space and it is easy to wander around the village and browse through everything.

Go There Early

I was there early so Bicester Village was not too crowded when I was looking around. 

So I recommend to reach there around 11am before the lunch crowd descends upon the area. In the early afternoon, things can become much more congested.

Brands Catering To Everyone

When I had been wandering around Bicester Village, I discovered that the outlet shops there ranged from the high-end brands such as Celine, Valentino, Givenchy and McQueen, to more “casual” brands targeted at the masses such as Lululemon, New Balance, ASICS, Levi’s and Clarks. 

So this means that there is indeed something available for everyone at Bicester Village, including me, too.

Begin Your Visit With Window-Shopping First

If you are the sort of person who’s into designer wear, I would recommend to go there with your wallet and be prepared to spend some money, because the prices of most of the goods there, have been slashed by more than half. 

But then, I must warn you, do not quickly start buying stuff from the first stop that you go to. 

Instead, it is better to go through everything and make a checklist of what you would like to buy as you do your window-shopping, before then zooming in to the specific shops that you wish to make your purchases. 

This is so that you do not end up over-spending – and as a result, wind up being completely broke for the rest of your time to England.

Indeed, this is what I had told myself, when I had initially set foot into the Bicester Village.

The stock available at all the shops is primarily last season’s stock, but then again, people probably won’t notice that you are wearing clothes and apparel from a season ago – as long as it looks good and flatters your figure, unless you are a true fashionista who must always buy the latest fashions, of course.

Ironically, in the end though, I didn’t really buy many things during my time there, mostly because the styles and sizes of most of the goods were not really to my fancy.

Not The Cheapest Outlet Shopping

I also have to mention that in case you might have the wrong mindset, outlet shopping and discounts does not mean that the items are dirt-cheap here, especially if you are talking about the high-end designer brands.

For instance, paying 900 pounds for a Valentino dress might sound rather extravagant at first glance. But again, if you compare this to the original price of over 2,200 pounds, then that makes it a great bargain. 

So it’s all about perspective, I guess. Thus, it is no wonder Bicester Village seems to be a popular destination for the brand-conscious Chinese tourists, in particular.

During my browsing there, I also realised that the bargains at Bicester Village are also not necessarily the cheapest that I have seen around, as compared to when I used to visit outlet malls during my time in Australia; some of those had seemed cheaper, in my opinion. 

And I have also heard from friends, that outlet shopping in the United States is cheaper than Bicester Village, as well.

Bicester Village Food and Drinks

But apart from buying new clothes, there are also several different eating places where you can indulge in snacks and hearty meals, if you are feeling peckish from all of the walking and shopping.

For the health conscious, there is Lola’s Bakery, which specialises in organic and dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan foods, while those who are out for a hearty meal can head to FarmShop Restaurant & Cafe, which is based around locally-sourced produce, and includes menu options such as poached salmon and lobster.

Those who are hankering after Asian food can go to Simply Noodles for a flavoursome meal of noodles, steamed bars and dim sums. 

And the sweet-toothed folks have R Chocolate, a British chocolatier and patisserie featuring flavoured hot chocolate drinks as well as a good selection of sweet and savoury waffles. Their hot chocolates are to die for if you like yours rich and dark.

I tried out an ice cream from pop-up shop Pan-n-ice, which is an unusual concept where ice cream is handcrafted into delicate ice rolls right in front of you, in a playful manner. 

And the final result had turned out to be so pretty – as a result, I ended up taking probably a million photos of my ice cream.

So I definitely have the cold English weather to thank – for the fact that my ice cream didn’t end up a soggy, melted mess when I finally came round to actually eating it.

Casual dining options such as the British sandwich shop Pret are available too, for those who prefer to quickly grab their meals and eat on the go.

Bicester Town Centre

Besides wandering through the Bicester Village, I also spent some of my time at the Bicester Town Centre at Church Street, which is a short five to ten minute walk away from the Village. 

This too, is a rather quaint place with tiny cottages with their thatched roofs.

Shops-wise, they have everything, from supermarkets to cafes, bakeries and charity shops. It is like a typical beautiful English town.

If you have some time to spare, I definitely recommend checking out the Bicester town centre, once you are done with your shopping sojourn.

An Antique Shop

Whilst I was there, I spent a long time at a very interesting antique shop there, browsing through the extensive wares and offerings available. 

And they literally had everything I could think of, from bed frames to wardrobes, typewriters and chairs and so on. In short, it was a pretty amazing collection.

St. Edburg Church

I also had a glimpse of Bicester’s St. Edburg Church, which is an amazing 950-year-old building with plenty of class, tradition and character.

An Unusual Attraction

As a whole, I would say that Bicester Village is an unusual place. It is primarily a shopping jaunt, and I would recommend it for those who are into designer brands and shopping. 

But for people who may be less driven by bargains, Bicester Village is also beautiful enough for you to want to head there simply to chill out with your girlfriends.

Also, I feel that if you want to visit the English countryside but you do not have the time to head too far out of London City, then Bicester Village is probably the next best option for you, too. 

Of course, it definitely cannot beat a visit to the Cotswolds, but it is still good enough.