Here’s a reminder: LEGO is great not because of the various IPs. It’s great because it lets you explore your creativity and/or build the dream-turned-plastic-brick creations of others. The latest to join the latter is this beautiful set born out of the LEGO crowdsourcing platform, LEGO Ideas: the LEGO Ideas Italian Riviera (21359).
Conceived by Portland, Oregon-based LEGO fan Alex Sahli, a.k.a. Galaxy333, this architectural brick-built model captures the alluring, picturesque Ligurian coast. It uses a cool 3,251 elements to recreate the charm of a quaint fishing village nestled by the Mediterranean Sea.
Interestingly, the completed model isn’t huge given its piece count. It stands 9 in. (23 cm) tall, spans 13 in. (34 cm) wide, and stretches 12 in. (31 cm) deep. That can only mean one thing: it’s packed with detail.
The finished build consists of three buildings, each featuring a removable roof and upper stories so you can peek inside at the intricately crafted interiors. There’s a gelato store, a diving equipment shop, and a bustling fish market—plus the living quarters of the shopkeepers.
Speaking of which, the set includes minifigures of the storekeepers, along with a fisher, a tourist (modeled after the fan designer!), a scooter rider, and more. All told, there are no fewer than 10 minifigures. Oh—and there’s even a little kitten caught snacking on a stolen fish. You don’t get much more alive than that. Also, yes, it comes with not one but two kitten figures.
LEGO Insiders Early Access for this US$299.99 set starts August 7, 2,025, and runs through August 8, 2025. It will be available to the general public starting August 10, 2025.
Images: LEGO.