Is the word areia the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

Yes

The word "areia" has the exact same meaning (sand), spelling, and grammatical function in both Brazilian and Continental Portuguese. The only difference lies in pronunciation. In Brazilian Portuguese, vowels tend to be more "open" and clearly articulated. In Continental Portuguese, unstressed vowels are often "reduced" or more closed, meaning the "e" in "areia" might sound more muted or swallowed compared to the Brazilian pronunciation.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. Eu adoro sentir a areia nos meus pés. (I love feeling the sand on my feet.)
2. Tem muita areia dentro do meu sapato. (There is a lot of sand inside my shoe.)
3. A areia da praia estava muito quente hoje. (The beach sand was very hot today.)
4. Vamos construir um castelo de areia! (Let's build a sandcastle!)
5. Preciso comprar um saco de areia para o jardim. (I need to buy a bag of sand for the garden.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

1. Gosto de sentir a areia nos pés. (I like feeling the sand on my feet.)
2. Levei areia para casa nos sapatos. (I brought sand home in my shoes.)
3. A areia da praia estava muito quente hoje. (The beach sand was very hot today.)
4. O miúdo está a fazer um castelo de areia. (The kid is making a sandcastle.)
5. É preciso comprar um saco de areia para a obra. (It is necessary to buy a bag of sand for the construction/work.)