Places can be defined in many ways: colour, atmosphere, objects, sounds, the weather, to name but a few; and I find that I have a very different approach when photographing towns and cities, than when I am in the countryside.
I rarely take broad, sweeping 'landscape' photos in cities and towns, preferring to capture the sense of place through images of detail; for example graffiti, sharp juxtapositions of old and new, architectural features, reflections in the ever increasing amount of glass used in modern buildings, painted doors and windows, shop fronts.
When in the countryside, however, my preferred lens tends to be a wide angle, 10-20mm or 12 -24mm. The relationship between land and sky (or sea and sky) also fascinates me, as if the relationship between the earth and sky demands much more attention than when in the city where conquering nature seems man's aim rather than giving oneself to its power and beauty.
As with all generalisations, this isn't a hard and fast rule, but I am always very aware of a different purpose and goal when photographing in conurbations and suburbia than when out in the country.