"One of my mottos in life is that 'the world is full of adventures waiting to be had and memories waiting to be made'," says Karen, and Europe is just the place to do it!

Where was your last overseas trip?
Europe, visiting Amsterdam, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and France.

Why did you choose to travel there?
It is so diverse with so many different places, languages and cultures. I’ve also always wanted to travel to Europe during Christmas season because of all the wonderful markets and decorations.

Tell us a little about the itinerary…
We were in London for four days, and then made our way across the English Channel into Europe. We had a lot of travelling to do in a short period of time so planning was essential if we wanted to see the sights we hoped to see.

Where did you stay along the way, and why?
Small family-run hotels and B&B’s on the outskirts of town. They are usually well run and relatively cheap. Instead of a hotel in Venice, consider renting an apartment through Venetian Apartments: it's often better value than a hotel and week-long or shorter rentals are available.

Check out independent reviews on www.tripadvisor.com before booking a hotel online.

Your favourite meal during your time away?
A slice of hot margherita pizza eaten on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. The air was crisp and cool and the sun was settling orange light between the long wispy green trees on the hills above Rome. Beautiful!

If you’re going to spend money in Italy — spend it on your taste buds. Restaurants aside, if there was one place I'd choose to be gastronomically marooned in Italy, or one place that stands for the vast range and temptations of Italian food, it would be the covered market — Mercato Centrale — in Florence (Europe's largest such market). Every possible treat from Tuscany and beyond, every last seasonal specialty is here: cheeses, fruit, fish, pasta, vegetables, meats, hams, olive oil and much, much more.

Did you find any 'hidden secrets' during your travels... great markets, quiet parks, quirky restaurants etc?
Every town — virtually every village — in Italy has at least one ice-cream parlour, or gelateria, and trying to name one that is better than the rest across Italy is a thankless task. But while you'll find plenty of people prepared to argue the toss, few would turn down a scoop or two from Vivoli in Florence (Via Isole delle Stinche 7r).

The Brauhaus Beer hall in Munich is also the place to be in the evening! It is loud and crazy; full of strapping German men and tourists. If you look carefully at the ceiling you can see a large Swastika outline, from during WW2.

In Paris, Le Coupe-Chou is an intimate candlelit restaurant in the Latin Quarter serving French delicacies. There are many quaint cafes in the area. To save money, order dinner before 6pm as prices sometimes double after that time.

Your best travel tip for others planning a visit to Europe?
Plan everything! You can always relax the plans when you’re there if you feel too rushed. Otherwise, the best tip I can give you is — get lost… and find yourself.

Meet any interesting locals?
At a German beer hall in Munich — the Brauhaus — we had no alternative but to sit next to a group of strangers due to the large amounts of people. It was a daunting experience — but it was the most wonderful evening.

We couldn’t speak much German and they were struggling with English, but we shared many a beer and laugh. My husband was even brave enough to sniff some tobacco given to him by a local. It was almost impossible to say no to these lively loud people.

What's the best way to get around?
The Underground systems in major cities. I was originally a bit intimidated to use them, but they are actually very easy to get used to if you have the correct map. These are usually available free of charge from any information booth.

In Amsterdam, remember that cyclists have the right-of-way over pedestrians. Respect the culture and don’t linger on the bike path! Move out of the way if a cyclist is approaching — they come up pretty quick! Renting bikes is really simple and really affordable.

Where's next on your travel 'to-do list'?
Either Egypt, Thailand or a cruise through Greek Isles — all depending on how much we can save!