New holidays launched to sunny Cyprus

Cyprus is astonishingly popular with the UK's holidaymakers, with the small island finding room for one and a half million Brits every year.

With such high visitor numbers, finding a holiday away from the crowds can be difficult, but there are companies offering new experiences.

In its 2007 brochure for Cyprus, Sunvil is offering new self-catering holidays, villas and mini-cruises, many of which are reaching out to less touristy areas of the island.

Launching the 2007 holidays Noel Josephides of Sunvil said: "The focus of our programme to this island remains on intimate village inns, houses and small hotels that are often owner-managed."

Holidays for the new season include foodie trips to harvest olives and learn how to make halloumi cheese, as well as adventure holiday activities such as horse-riding in the mountains and diving lessons.

New holiday accommodation for 2007 includes a recently renovated stone house near the ruins of the Khirokitia World Heritage Site (appropriately named the House of Achilles) and the Kiniras Traditional House Hotel in Paphos' old town, which serves home-made Cypriot food from its restaurant.

Among the villas added for 2007 are Villa Andreas, located in the countryside high above Latchi, Villa Achilleas, situated in a small, hillside village overlooking the Akamas Peninsula, and two stone villas in Milou, surrounded by vineyards and orange groves.

For more information see www.sunvil.co.uk