Like many readers, I just love DK Eyewitness travel guides. They are the travel guide for the intelligent traveler - with fantastic illustrations and photos. And lucky me! I was sent a copy of DK Eyewitness Travel: London 2014 to review. Oh, what a pleasure this is.

As with all DK Eyewitness Travel guides, DK London is packed with information, enough for you to learn all about London from top to bottom (and back again). This is a jam-packed book, with enough material to keep you happy from planning to the end of your journey to London - and beyond. Many of you know that I directed a study abroad program in London one summer - can it be 20 years ago? Yet when I opened this book, it brought me back - and also taught me that there's so much more to learn and know about London.

Let's delve inside...

Did you know that in this book, there are:

• 890 photos
• 140 illustrations
• a pull out city map
• a specific guide for each of 16 areas in London
• an underground map
• a detailed index
• a genius street finder (LOVE!)
• and more?

Delve into this guide, and you'll start out with an introduction to London, including some fascinating history. No dry guide, this is a beautifully illustrated glimpse into London's history. Areas covered include Roman London, Medieval London, Elizabethan London, Restoration London, Georgian London, Victorian London, London between the World Wars, and Postwar London - each with a timeline, important things to know, and where to see this period whilst visiting London today.

One of my favorite section is Remarkable Londoners. This includes writers, architects and engineers, artists, leaders, and actors. This is the perfect way to introduce a town to your kids (or you, if your knowledge base needs a little brushing up) - through its people.

You can also explore sections on museums and galleries, churches, parks and gardens, and ceremonies - all with details, time frames, and locations.

This exhaustive guide then shares information on London, area by area (all 16 of them!). Important information here includes sights at a glance, mapped and then detailed later, a street by street guide, and photos or illustrations. For instance, the section on Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia includes historic streets and buildings, museums, churches, pubs, restaurants, and more.

Additional and important sections that all DK Guides have are a travelers' needs section (where to stay, eat and drink, shops and markets, entertainment, and children's London), a survival guide (practical information, getting to London, and getting around London), Great days in London suggestions, guided walks, and plenty of maps.

But what do all these details mean? For me, no trip is planned well without first reading, cover to cover, the corresponding DK travel guide. I get information on what to see and do, and educate myself on what's going on there. Once we're there, my well-thumbed guide is a constant in the bottom of my bag, reminding me of gems and important locational information for them. This 440 page London guide is the Complete guide to London - and a worthy read, whether you're traveling there this summer or in the future.

Truly, this 'travel bible' for London is the only guide you'll need - that, and a sense of curiosity will get you far in London. What will you see first?

Learn more at DK's site:

http://us.dk.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781465400482,00.html

All photos courtesy and copyright DK Eyewitness Guides.