[1] Zakliczyn lies on the right bank of the Dunajec river, surrounded by wooded hills 300 to 500 metres (984 to 1,640 feet) above sea level.

Zakliczyn has a town hall, located in a spacious market square, one of the largest in the province, at 100 by 170 metres (328 by 558 feet).

In the 14th century, Opatkowice developed thanks to its location on the Dunajec river along the merchant route from Tarnów via Stary Sącz to the Kingdom of Hungary.

Weekly fairs at Opatkowice attracted merchants from other towns in the area, such as Bobowa, Ciężkowice, Tuchów, and Wojnicz.

Early in 1557, local nobleman, Spytek Wawrzyniec Jordan Trąby coat of arms, owner of Melsztyn castle purchased Opatkowice from the monks of Tyniec abbey.

In early 1846, it was the scene of a peasant revolt when local farmworkers attacked members of Polish nobility (see Galician slaughter), murdering many of them.

During World War I, the town was destroyed after heavy Austrian - Russian fighting, several military cemeteries from that era still exist in surrounding villages.

In the Second Polish Republic the situation did not improve, and to make matters worse, Zakliczyn suffered widespread destruction in the 1934 flood in Poland.

Regular bus services take residents to Kraków (90mins by coach) Bochnia, Brzesko, Tarnów (40mins) & Nowy Sącz (30mins) as well as many small villages in between.