LONDON, November 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Expedia.co.uk shares insider tips for autumn visits to the Big Smoke -

Thanks to the buzz from the Royal nuptials and Olympics fever already gripping the nation, London is the Brits' favourite European destination to visit this autumn. 

Insider top tips for visiting London

Most people have been to London and seen the classic tourist destinations, but what's the city like through the eyes of a local? Here, the London Market Managers for Expedia offer their inside tips on making the most of London's bustling city centre - from visiting the top tourist sites to discovering the city's best kept secrets:

1. For an alternative way to explore the Thames, get muddy hunting for treasure while Mudlarking - the foreshore of the Thames is a whole new layer of London bursting with hidden gems that hold the secrets of the Capital's past for you to discover!
2. Visit the Billingsgate Fish Market to take your pick from the largest selection of fresh fish in the country - plus, budding fishmongers can have a lesson on how to prepare their fish from the experts at the Billingsgate Seafood Training School
3. Londoners love great food so why not release your inner gourmand: enjoy the finest French fare at the Alain Ducasse, delectable Japanese bites at Nobu, Indian morsels at Amaya, and tasty Chinese delicacies at Kai, all in Mayfair. Sample the best of British at Rhodes Twenty Four in Smithfields or sumptuous Italian food at The River Café in Hammersmith.

Top money and time saving tips when visiting London

1. Keep away from the crowds on Oxford Street and visit one of London's famous markets to bag a bargain. Think Borough Market for food, Portobello for antiques, Covent Garden for crafts, and Camden Market for the hottest fashions
2. Planning in advance can help you jump lengthy queues at the gates when visiting the tourist favourites, such as the London Dungeon and Madame Tussaud's. Book at Expedia.co.uk
3. Get 50% off the total bill or 2 meals for the price of 1 at more than 4,000 London restaurants with the London Tastecard, available at http://www.expedia.co.uk

As well as these top tips, designed to inspire Brits to try something a little different when in London, Expedia.co.uk has produced an exclusive series of videos, created by locals, which provide inspiration on ways to experience London in a totally new way and experience the best the city has to offer.

For a morning of rummaging about in the muddy shores of the Thames for treasure or to learn how to find the freshest fish in London and learn to prepare it like an expert fishmonger at the Billingsgate Fish Market, head to the Expedia UK You Tube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ExpediaUK to see how the experts do it.

SOURCE Expedia.co.uk