Opatów is located among the hills of Lesser Polish Upland, with the Opatówka river dividing the town into two parts.

Tourist attractions include a 12th-century Collegiate Church of St. Martin, 15th-century baroque Bernardine monastery, 16th-century city gate and town hall as well as several other notable buildings.

In the first half of the 14th century, Bishop of Lubusz Stefan II decided to move the center of the town to the hill near the collegiate church.

In 1514, it was transferred to Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, who restored it, surrounded with a defensive wall, built a castle and offices for the local government, and improved the water supply to the residents.

The town was a center of political life of the Voivodeship; here General Sejmiks of the Lesser Poland nobility took place.

In the 18th century, Opatów became home to a number of Greeks, who had escaped to Poland from the Turkish occupation of their homeland (see Ottoman Greece).

[3] in 1809 it was regained by Poles and included within Napoleon's short-lived Duchy of Warsaw, in 1815 it fell to the Russian Partition of Poland.

During the January Uprising, two battles took place in Opatów between Russians and II Corps of General Józef Hauke-Bosak.

Polish commander Ludwik Zwierzdowski [pl] was executed by the Russians at the market square on February 23, 1864.

[5] During the joint German–Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II, in September 1939, Opatów was invaded and afterwards occupied by Germany.

In 1939, the Germans ordered the demolition of the Ludwik Zwierzdowski monument, so the local mayor buried it to preserve it, thanks to which it was restored after the war.

[10] The original Jewish privileges were issued in 1545 by the Grand Crown Hetman Jan Tarnowski, the starost of Sandomierz and the owner of Opatów.

Hundert's work also describes the vibrant interaction of the Jews of Apt with their Polish Christian neighbours.

[11] During World War II the community was herded into the new Opatów Ghetto set up by Nazi Germany along the Joselewicza, Zatylna, Wąska and Starowałowa Streets.

The key focus areas of municipal government are the development of technical infrastructure, tourism, small business, attracting investors, and the promotion of education as well as the city itself.

Traditional occupations and sources of income include agricultural farms, crafts, services and trade.