For the young - and the young at heart - you've got the world-famous PortAventura theme park, a short distance from the bustling resort of Salou. For something a bit more up-market there's the city of Sitges which is renowned for its film festival and carnival. And if that's not enough you've got the 'small' matter of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain.

Not surprisingly Thomson Al Fresco was quick to add this beautiful region to its wide-ranging offering with three parcs to choose from. Sanguli in Salou and Cambrils Park are near neighbours, while further up the coast, midway between Salou and Barcelona, is Vilanova Park.

All are fantastic destinations in their own right with Vilanova Park ideal for those looking for a more laid-back break. It's located within easy travelling distance of Barcelona and Salou and the parc is situated on the outskirts of Vilanova i la Geltru, a city with a colourful history which was originally a fishing port. The 40-hectare parc is set in the wooded estate of a former Catalan farmhouse and has all you need for a memorable holiday. If you're the sort of person who likes to stay within the confines of the parc you will certainly not be disappointed. Three large swimming pools - two outdoor with adjoining children's pools and the other indoor with a spa facility - ensure a quick dip is never far away. If you'd prefer a sandy beach the nearest one is only a couple of miles and a short bus ride away. For the children there's a variety of activities on offer, many of them organised, but then you would expect no less given Thomson's reputation for picking parcs to cater for all needs. You taste buds won't be disappointed with the food on offer at the Mas Roquer restaurant and bar, complemented by the usual offering of take-away food and snack bars. Entertainment is really top notch with nightly shows, including discos for the kids and teens. In fact the shows are so good you're biggest problem will be getting close up to the stage such is the demand for seats. A large multi-sports area is always packed with young football talent - who knows given the ability of some of these kids you might even spot the next Lionel Messi. There are also regular cinema screenings and even a zoological garden if you fancy a relaxing stroll.

Of course, when you're holidaying with Thomson Al Fresco you know you'll be putting the great into the great outdoors. The mobiles really are home-from home with the Rossini and Vivaldi available at Vilanova. Both are perfect for larger families with sleeping space for six.

Loungers and reclining chairs make the sun lotion essential, while you can enjoy the al fresco lifestyle with the dining and drinks tables and parasol perfect for those who love nothing more than lighting up the barbecue. The mobile homes are fitted with all the mod-cons you could wish for with a modern, stylish, open-plan kitchen and dining area and shower room, while the patio doors lead to your decking area.

Vilanova Park is around 25 miles from both Barcelona and Reus airports. It is within an hour's reach by public transport of both Barcelona and Salou and is a short distance from Sitges. Getting there is easy, leaving will be much more difficult, unless of course you've decided to split you holiday between two sites - and that's where Sanguli comes in.

Sanguli is located directly across the road from the sun-kissed, sandy beach at Salou and within walking distance of the bustling town centre. Like Vilanova there's everything you need on site for a perfect holiday. A swimming pool with waterslides, a large pool with adjacent children's pool and a smaller heated pool are very attractive alternatives to the beach. A sports area, including a crazy golf course, and children's playground will keep the little ones occupied. And when they feel a little tired you can settle down to watch a movie in the cinema.

After all that you'll understandably be feeling a little peckish and the on-site Catalan restaurant is well worth a visit, while if time is of the essence you've got a take-away and snack bars. Entertainment is provided in an enormous, centrally-located, Roman style amphitheatre, a superb location for relaxing and enjoying a memorable evening under the star-lit sky.

Thomson Al Fresco accommodation at Sanguli includes the Rossini and Vivaldi mobiles homes, plus the Puccini which sleeps up to five people.

Salou is within a few miles of the airport of Reus, although you can also fly to Barcelona which is around 60 miles up the coast and is a not-to-be-missed day-trip destination for holiday-makers. From the parc a short bus ride will take you into Salou town centre or, in the opposite direction, to the beautiful fishing town of Cambrils with its stunning promenade and busy harbour.

For those who prefer to stretch their legs it is possible to walk to Salou along the gorgeous beachfront and there is no shortage of shops, bars and restaurants to enjoy when you get there. Of course, no visit to the area would be complete without a visit to the nearby PortAventura theme park, which is within a short bus journey of Sanguli.

As far as family entertainment goes PortAventura is second-to-none and once you enjoy its thrills and spills you'll be desperate to return. From the white-knuckle rides of Dragon Khan and Furius Baco to the more sedate proceedings of the infants' play area, there is something for everyone at PortAventura. Regular shows in each of the park's five areas - Mediterrania, Polynesia, China, Mexico and the Far West - are well worth resting your weary legs for. And not surprisingly there are food and drink outlets and restaurants to cater for all tastes. The late night firework displays cap a truly magical experience and once you've visited PortAventura the one guarantee is that you will return. If you're not the type of person who is happy to laze on the beach all day you're also sorted - because beside PortAventura is the brilliant Costa Caribe water park, which includes Europe's largest wave pool.

So it's easy to see that a holiday at Sanguli, whether in-parc or outside, will be a fun-filled experience. Although if you're no stranger to Thomson Al Fresco that will come as no surprise as an enjoyable and memorable holiday experience is a recurring theme no matter which parc or parcs you choose.

So why not pop along to your nearest travel agent and pick up a copy of the latest brochure or visit www.thomsonalfresco.co.uk. And if you do plump for a holiday in the Costa Dorada you definitely won't be disappointed.

"Can I bring a mate," he pleads. "No," we cry in unison. "Why," asks he. "Because the pressure of being responsible for someone else's teenager fills us with trepidation and would not make for a relaxing fortnight," says we, still roughly in chorus. "So, what about the Swanboroughs?" says he. And so, for the first time in a dozen years, the Ryans and the Swanboroughs were back on tour. Yet how do you please everyone without doing a Northern Rock? Two weeks on a Spanish campsite would suit the kids and should not break the bank. But what about the workers? Surely we deserve a bit of pampering without endless dish-washing, Biblical queues for dryers and 1970s tribute bands?

And so, another cunning compromise was reached. Week One with Thomson Al Fresco at the Sanguli site on the Costa Dorada, then a drive south for Week Two with Meon Villas in Javea on the Costa Blanca in one of their large and luxuriously appointed homes, complete with swimming pool and more mod cons than you can shake a stick at. This pick'*'mix approach was affordable and gave everyone the chance to chill. It would also be interesting to see which our teens prefer..

Salou is not for the squeamish but it's perfect for teenagers. Its long sandy beach is fringed with palm trees and intense tourism while just down the road at Port Aventura is Spain's biggest theme park. But the Sanguli campsite, with its 1,500 emplacements, is a haven of relative peace within this bustling resort. With its three pools, takeaway and sit-down restaurants and supermarkets it leaves you no practical imperative to break its boisterous embrace, apart from the 200-yard walk to the beach.

At night there's live entertainment in a splendid amphitheatre. There is something seductive in these campsites' animations which draws you in. I can say, without a hint of "Stepford Camper", that I was mesmerised by both the Village People and Boney M tribute bands and found myself humming "YMCA" for several weeks after.

By day, the three swimming pools aside, the teens Tom (18), Tim and Florence (15) and Sam (13) had table tennis, football, mini golf, basketball, tennis or cycle hire on tap. But they usually opted for lazing on the beach. They weren't even struck by Salou's other temptations: karting, quad-biking, horse-riding, wind surfing, sea fishing ... no rush, not even for adrenalin. It dawned on me that teenagers like doing very little, so long as they have other teens to do it with not so different from us then.

There were day trips, naturally. Barcelona is just over an hour away on Spain's efficient, cheap rail network: an off-peak return from Salou was just euros 11 (less than 8) each. The Roman town of Tarragona is less than 20 minutes by train and youcan drive into the mountains to see some of Catalonia's most outstanding nature reserves. And this wasn't even rough camping. Thomsons' mobile homes (a Rossini for us and the larger Vivaldi for the Swanboroughs) are bright, spacious and air conditioned. There may be privacy issues but there's nothing like sitting outside one on a sultry evening with a good book and a cold drink, watching the world, and his wife, go by.

That said, a bit of unashamed luxury never hurts and, as we tapped a code into the metal security gate barring the driveway up to Casa Delfino, I felt like a million euros which is about what this place must be worth. The five-star Delfino was perfect for our party with two en-suite double bedrooms and two more large bedrooms for the kids to share. It has a large winding staircase, which feels palatial, a spacious lounge and dining area with open-plan kitchen. All the techno-delights are there: touch-pad oven, microwave, dishwasher, satellite TV (Hollyoaks or The Simpsons?), DVD player, music centre, internet, laundry room.

Yet it was the 10-metre pool, flower-scented garden and shaded patios where most time was spent. And what a joy to go for an early-morning dip and find that no one (Teuton or otherwise) had draped large towels over all the loungers. It was hard to avoid a sense of profound wellbeing as I sipped cold beer, watched a staggering sunset, and listened to the sizzle of a state-of-the-art barbecue as cookery student, Tom, turned produce from the local market into a delicious paella big enough to feed an army. I'm a simple soul but "luxury" isn't a big enough word; "hard-core," to quote a passing adolescent, is much nearer the money.

Outside Delfino's ochre and lemon walls, there are bracing cliff-top walks along this beautiful, rugged length of coast, a bit like Cornwall but with a bit more yellow and a lot more blue. By night, Javea offers cosy beach-side restaurants and bustling traditional bars. The great irony is that the cost of a week at such a villa, split between two families, is not much more than a week's mobile home rental. Divided by eight, Sanguli worked out at about 300 per person, Casa Delfino came to about 330 per head for the week.

"The privacy here is great. But I sort of miss all the coming and going at the campsite. The people-watching was great," said Florence. I hadn't expected that, and was mulling it over as I splashed about one night in the pool. As I listened to the singing cicadas, a tune entered my head and escaped via a hum "By the Rivers of Babylon ..."

Further Information

David Ryan was a guest of Thomson Al Fresco holidays (0871 231 3292; thomsonalfresco.co.uk). Seven nights in mid-August in a Rossini at Sanguli costs 1,159 in total, based on two adults and two children sharing. The Vivaldi costs 1,266, based on two adults and four children sharing. Casa Delfino sleeps eight and costs from 2,649 per week in mid-August with Meon Villas (08709 014011; meonvillas.co.uk).