Beach holidays 2015: Where to go for sun, sea and lots of sand

With the falling price of the Euro against the pound making Mediterranean beach destinations even more attractive, a whole host of new flight routes launching to coastal locations around the world and ABTA revealing sunshine getaways as the most popular type of winter break among British tourists, we've declared 2015 the year of the beach holiday.

Greece is set to be huge this year as the country experiences a modern renaissance, with a cultural revival and exciting new hotels opening, along with the strong pound offering Brits great value for money. Italy is another country on our radar for low costs, splendid beaches and new flight routes for crowd-free beach breaks in Puglia (easyJet), Sardinia (BA) and Sicily (Ryanair).

Meanwhile, TripAdvisor has revealed Britain's best beach as the fourth best in Europe and the 13th best in the world, meaning you don't have to worry about catching a flight to experience high-rated sands.

If you're looking for somewhere more exotic and with guaranteed sunshine, 2015 celebrates the Year of Mexico in the UK, making the Yucatan Peninsula's miles of white sand beaches and azure blue seas (pictured above) hotter than ever. Mauritius makes for a classic luxury island escape and this year sees the opening of a new all-suite resort, while Colombia is an excellent choice for those not into fly and flop beach breaks - think hiking in a national park and exploring colonial sites in the city before relaxing on a Caribbean beach backed by a lush forest.

Whether you're looking for a holiday at home, in Europe or somewhere further flung, here's our pick of the best beach holiday destinations for 2015.