I am big fan of getting away for a weekend. Don’t get me wrong, staying at home, watching TV and online shopping are some of my favourite things to do. But for the last year, I have been stuck in a job I don’t really like and don’t get much stimulation for, so all of my former weekend must haves, I can now do during the week! Read more about my work disasters here.
I have since been trying to take advantage of travelling outside of London and making the most of a weekend. I have compiled a list below of my top 3 places to go-outside of London. I am lucky enough to have a car in London, but these places are accessible by bus or train so don’t worry!
1) Bicester Shopping Centre
As previously mentioned above, I love online shopping and using Vinted to find the best discounts. When I heard about Bicester shopping centre, I almost cried. Designer fashion at a fraction of the price?!
I am not really a fashionista, I don’t wear the latest clothes and I find it takes me a while to hop onto trends. So shopping in a place full with last years pieces, my heaven! I often find the pastime of browsing is actually more fun than going in search of a specific item you are dying for! When you have an agenda, it takes away a bit of the fun of seeing what you would find. And Bicester is the place to do it!
Bicester is a discount shopping centre (although it is outdoors), with the likes of Fendi, Dior, Ralph Lauren, event Charlotte Tillbury. I normally drive up, just past Oxford, to get there, but it is also accessible by train and bus! Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
2) Lille, France
Now I see you might be saying, ‘hold on this is in France’ but I went to Lille a few weeks ago for a long weekend and fell in LOVE. Easily accessible on the Eurostar train, or by driving through Dover, Lille is a perfect weekend getaway.
It has all the charm of a small French city, whilst being not so crowded with tourists like Paris. I went with a few friends and we had an amazing time going to local bars, eating some amazing fondue and wandering the cobbled streets!
The Eurostar can be quite expensive, but if you book a few months in advance then tickets are only £39! I chose to drive to Dover, catch the ferry and then drive another hour on the French side. As there was four of us, it only cost £50 each. Whilst it was longer to get there, as it was a last minute trip, the train tickets were £190+ (not very wallet friendly).
Get lost in the streets of this gorgeous French town, the perfect place to go for 1 or 2 days!
3) Canterbury, Kent
I have lived in and around London for my whole life, but I only ventured down to Canterbury earlier this year. I ADORE this city.
My partner has a book of places to travel in the UK and we decided to start with Canterbury. This was an amazing city, just a few hours outside of London on either the train or driving. We fell in love. The most famous thing to do in Canterbury is obviously the Cathedral. I have since been to many cathedrals in the south of England and when I say Canterbury is the best- I mean it!
We started our day by visiting a small independent wine bar to have a few sharing glasses and a cheese platter. We even bought a few bottles to take home. We then visited the cathedral for a guided tour (free) which helped explain what we were seeing and provide some much needed insights into the magnificent beauty. We finished the day by moseying around the cobble streets and visiting local store owners. A must see place
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