When someone first uttered the words ‘Global Village’, it is likely they meant it figuratively. That is not the case when entering Sand City.
The iconic Algarvian exhibit has officially started its 16th edition with a brand new home to show for itself. Visitors can now find Sand City on the outskirts of Lagoa, alongside the N125 road, opposite the Nobel International School.


The new facilities form the perfect backdrop for what is one of the most enriching experiences the Algarve has to offer. Sand City’s very unique brand mixes both culture and entertainment so effortlessly one does not know where to draw the line between either.


This year’s theme ‘Around The World’ bestows visitors with four hectares of global symbols, personas, myths and architecture. The authenticity of such multicultural experience is credentialed by the works of more than 50 artists hailing from countries such as Poland, Canada, Germany, Czech Republic and Portugal, who were responsible for the sculptures.


Whether walking around the Eifel Tower in Paris, Hagia Sophia in Turkey, passing by Pope Francis riding a Vespa in the Vatican City, or seeing Nelson Mandela in South Africa, there are plenty of cultural icons to behold.


Moreover, the natural world is well portrayed at Sand City, with fauna and flora from every continent visible throughout the exhibition. Whether walking among Australian koalas, African zebras, or diving into the depths of the oceans where a display of human excesses take shape through a sculpture of sea animals interacting with various plastics and pollution.


The arts also have a strong presence in the exhibit, with everything from mainstream Hollywood, Madonna or Prince, to more classical reproductions of the works of Gustav Klimt, Picasso and Portugal’s own Joana Vasconcelos.


And because the imaginary realm is a world in its own right, visitors will also be in the presence of iconic characters such as the Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and many others.


It is also in this category that one of the most impressive pieces falls: A colossal sculpture of Gulliver, tied down by the Lilliputians. This is the single largest piece of the whole compound.


It is highly recommended that visitors opt to take a guided tour, as offered by the immensely knowledgeable Lisa Zeitvogel, who has an impressive amount of information on both Sand City itself and the cultural representations contained in it.


Aside from the sculptures, visitors will also have access to facilities such as a snack bar, toilets and a gift shop, alongside further entertainment including a bungee trampoline, a large sandpit with occasional sculpting workshops and an agenda of various entertaining acts.


Overall the Sand City is an indispensible experience in the Algarve, and will be open until November.


For further information about the Sand City, please visit www.fiesa.org