Bicester Village is just a stone’s throw away from London – easy to get there by car or by train from Marylebone station.

It’s the perfect mix of designer and well-known upmarket high street brands – all at prices which you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

The village has something for everyone, with clothes, jewellery, watches, shoes and acessories making for the perfect day out not too far away.

It also has a range of food selections, from Pret a Manger and Itsu to its very own sushi restaurant, Cecconi’s, fish and chip van and crepe stall.

@immyshare Come with me and my bestie to Bicester Village - the designer outlet shopping village in Oxfordshire. It’s a drive or train journey from London and there’s something for everyone #bicestervillage #designeroutlet #designerlondon #fyp #dior #guccioutlet #pradaoutlet #oxford #thingstodolondon #pressinvite ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

I went to Bicester Village with my best friend as we fancied some retail therapy and a girlie day out.

We set off around 10am and arrived just before 11.30am, enjoying some breakfast in the stunning Bicester Village apartment before we shopped.

Your Local Guardian: The Apartment at Bicester VillageThe Apartment at Bicester Village (Image: Immy Share, Newsquest)

The Apartment is a VIP space with personal shopping suites in too.

The shops make the area feel like an actual village, and it’s easy to navigate around so we decided to shop from one end to the other to make sure we didn’t miss out any of the stores.

Starting with the huge Polo Ralph Lauren store, we made our way through the village throughout the day, stopping only for our ever-important lunch.

There are a number of pop up experiences at Bicester Village at the moment, including Pangaia’s first solo retail space where you can step inside the brand’s unique fusion of fashion, technology and science while engaging with their commitment to driving positive change in the industry.

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The village also has new permanent stores in the way of Ami Paris and Ganni – favourites at favourable prices.

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Although the smell from the Mayfair Chippy fish and chip van was tempting, especially because this is my favourite London restaurant, we decided to eat at the Village’s very own Cecconi’s restaurant – a place for a tipple, some food and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of the stores.

The interior of the restaurant is stunning and it has a classy feel – just want you want when shopping for those sought-after goods.

For starter I got the salmon tartare, and my friend the arancini balls, and for main I had the sea bass while she had the Veal Milanese.

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The food was as scrumptious as it looked, and we enjoyed a long lunch relaxing as a refuel for the rest of our shopping day.

The menu has a wide selection of cocktails and soft drinks, along with juices too.

We finished our lunch and headed back out shopping, with the rest of around 150 retailers to have a look in, including Gucci, Dior, Prada, The White Company, Monica Vinader, Golden Goose, Ba&sh and more.

Don’t get me wrong, by the end we were tired, but it felt like a worthwhile day out that ticked all of our boxes – fun, good food, good shops, and a really nice environment to be in.