The Dominican Republic not only attracts visitors with its miles of palm-fringed beaches and a wonderfully warm tropical climate, boasting an average of 340 sunny days a year. The island nation on Hispaniola, located in the Greater Antilles between the Atlantic and the Caribbean, is largely mountainous inland and preserves a unique nature with a fascinating diversity of animals and plants in numerous national parks. Along the coasts, more than 1,500 kilometers of fine sandy beaches await, and in the crystal-clear, turquoise waters, colorful coral reefs thrive. In the north, trade winds enable spectacular kite and windsurfing. In the capital, Santo Domingo, the historic old town tells the story of its tumultuous past; it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. One of the most important cultural events of the year is undoubtedly the fascinatingly colorful carnival at the end of February.