The Cinque Terre region in Italy invite an obvious comparison. Santorini and the Cinque Terre both feature beautiful towns built into dramatic seaside cliffs. But the Cinque Terre retain much more of a working class feel. Santorini, by comparison, is full of swimming pools and luxury villas. I don't remember seeing a single swimming pool in the Cinque Terre. Most of the towns there don't have a true hotel, just apartments that you can rent from local families.
Santorini is a place where one can linger for days, sipping wine and cappuccino and taking in the amazing views. The Cinque Terre will be a quick day trip for most tourists. Only most dedicated hiking and photo enthusiasts would care to stay longer.
Santorini and Maui share a volcanic history, but the Hawaiian islands are only a few million years old - newborn babies in terms of geological time. Santorini is part of an ancient volcano that's effectively crumbling into the sea. Both islands feature agriculture in their less developed regions, but Maui is far larger, and it's peaks are much higher than the cliffs of Santorini. Also, thankfully, Santorini has no high-rise hotels. Only traditional villas.
Santorini shares unexpected traits with Grand Canyon in Arizona. They both feature viewpoints which become jammed with spectators at sunset. And both use burros to carry cargo and riders up and down hill. To be fair, Grand Canyon actually uses mules, but the principle is the same.
One final comparison - Santorini and Venice. Each is visually spectacular in it's own way. Each can be explored more completely by tourists who are willing to send some time. But Venice is in a class by itself for historical significance.
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