Lying between the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, Central America and the United States, Nassau is an important crossroads at the heart of the Bahamas. A favoured haunt of pirates and then smugglers, a colonial land coveted by the British, the Spanish and the Americans, the town, which was created in the second half of the 17th Century, is famous for its tumultuous past. Today transformed into an upscale tourist destination, the capital of the Bahamas has succeeded in maintaining its authentic charm whilst offering a number of attractions thanks to its boutiques, casinos and the spectacular Atlantis complex. Built on Paradise Island, this gigantic construction is home to the largest tropical aquarium in the world.