DESTINATION
Town and country
Get to know the Cotswolds’ quieter side on a two-day jaunt through its rolling hills, where farm tracks and open walks give way to market-town meandering and design-led stays.
Day one
Stay: Artist Residence
Funky House of Hackney wallpaper, historic beams and deep inglenook fires in a sixteenth-century inn with attitude. This boho country pub, just outside Oxford, serves up Sunday roasts that are every bit as memorable as its interiors. South Leigh, OX29 6XN
Caffeine fix: Lyall and Co
The smell of freshly baked cherry and pecan croissants mixed with roasting coffee drifts out onto Eynsham High Street. Grab a seat at the scrubbed-wood table and skim the morning papers as the village stirs. Eynsham, OX29 4HA
Grab a seat at the scrubbed-wood table and skim the morning papers as the village stirs.
Head to: Bicester Village
Arrivals are easy as pie with complimentary parking, electric vehicle charging points and, as part of many shopping packages, reserved spaces right by the boutiques. Bicester, OX26 6WD
Shop: AllSaints
East London cool translated into rails of butter-soft leather jackets, slouchy knits and washed silks. AllSaints’ go-to monochrome palette makes it the place for low-key, rock-and-roll wardrobe staples. AllSaints, Bicester Village
Shop: Monica Vinader
A winning collection of modern jewellery. Gold vermeil chains, gemstone stacking rings and engravable pendants from the Norfolk-based brand cleverly feel both everyday and elevated. Monica Vinader, Bicester Village
Lunch: Ottolenghi
Colourful salads and generous Middle Eastern-spiced plates from Yotam Ottolenghi’s bright, produce-led kitchen – perfectly pitched for fuelling an afternoon of shopping. Ottolenghi, Bicester Village
Yotam Ottolenghi’s bright, produce-led kitchen is perfectly pitched for fuelling an afternoon of shopping.
Shop: UGG®
The Californian label that turned sheepskin boots into a global phenomenon. Alongside cosy classics sit chunky slippers, shearling slides and deeply snug off-duty layers. UGG®, Bicester Village
Shop: Burberry
Still synonymous with trench coats and that unmistakable camel-coloured check, the British fashion powerhouse excels in sharply cut outerwear, scarves and leather accessories. Burberry, Bicester Village
The thrill of proper attention
Want a second opinion? Reserve a complimentary Personal Shopping appointment. Opt for Hands-free Shopping, so the bags never interrupt the day. The Village has seamless shopping down to a fine art…
Refuel: Fortnum & Mason
Fancy a very traditional sugar hit? Stop by the café in the Village for an afternoon tea of toasted crumpets with honey or jam, alongside a pot of Fortnum’s Royal Blend. Comfort food, Piccadilly-style. Fortnum & Mason, Bicester Village
Shop: Jimmy Choo
High-octane glamour from the London luxury shoe maker. Crystal-dusted heels, sleek leather boots and statement evening bags make this the stop for a little red-carpet energy. Jimmy Choo, Bicester Village
Dinner: Mr Hanbury’s Mason Arms at Artist Residence
Seasonal British plates are dished up beneath Andy Doig's neon art and contemporary works by The Connor Brothers. Witney, OX29 6XN
Elevated evening looks
Sandro
Village price
£254
RRP
£379
Sandro
Village price
£181
RRP
£269
kate spade new york
Day two
Coffee and pastries: FarmED
Part farm, part bakery, part classroom. FarmED serves fairtrade coffee, buttery pastries and brioche doughnuts in the middle of its working farmyard. A morning pick-me-up with rural relevance. Shipton-under-Wychwood, OX7 6BJ
Browse the produce: Diddly Squat Farm Shop
Jeremy Clarkson’s rustic shop is packed with farm produce, just-picked veg, preserves and plenty of merch. Tongue-in-cheek branding makes it a destination as entertaining as it is muddy. Chadlington, OX7 3PE
Tongue-in-cheek branding makes it a destination as entertaining as it is muddy.
Fresh air stomp: The Rollright Stones
Surrounded by windswept fields, The Rollright Stones are ancient and atmospheric. The circle of Neolithic and Bronze Age monoliths has become a place of pagan ritual, ley line detection and annual Shakespeare performances. Little Rollright, OX7 5QB
Elevenses: The Straw Kitchen at Whichford Pottery
A proper working studio, where the creative team of 30 clay-makers, decorators, throwers and apprentices produce terracotta flowerpots and planters. The Straw Kitchen pours flat whites in Whichford Pottery mugs, perfectly paired with its sticky sourdough cinnamon rolls. Whichford, CV36 5PG
Lunch: Pit Kitchen
Brothers Adam and James Thomas brought their East London street-food energy to the Cornwell Estate. Wood-fired shawarmas, confit lamb ribs and sweetcorn and green chilli fritters pack punchy Middle Eastern flavours. Todenham, GL56 9PN
Explore the estate: Sezincote House and Garden
Find an unexpected and fantastical pleasure garden at this historic address. Onion domes, minarets and Mughal-inspired landscaping feel a world away from the surrounding countryside. Sezincote, GL56 9AW
Just opened
Pack Belstaff for countryside days, ZIMMERMANN for cocktails after dark. Just two of the covetable new openings to discover while you’re in the Village.
Market town stroll: Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow’s market square once handled thousands of sheep at a time. Today, it draws antiques dealers, interior designers and weekend wanderers in search of Georgian furniture and good coffee. GL54 1AF
Early dinner: Toro at Highway
Far from your typical Cotswolds pub, the Toro kitchen whips up Spanish small plates with punch – flatbreads with garlicky aioli, hot honey chorizo bites and paprika pork belly. Burford, OX18 4RG
The Toro kitchen whips up Spanish small plates with punch.
Stay: Bull
Spaces hung with world-class works from Banksy, Basquiat, Dalí and Hirst speak to owner Matthew Freud’s irreverent eye. Bedrooms flip the script on country styling too, with limewashed, earthy walls in dusky terracotta and moody blues. Burford, OX18 4RG
Your weekend packing essentials
Maje
Village price
£86
RRP
£129
Maje
Village price
£132
RRP
£199
Barbour
RRP
£530
