Alterstedt is a district of the municipality of Schönstedt in the Unstrut-Hainich district.

Idyllically situated on the eastern slope of the UNESCO Hainich National Park, Alterstedt, with its lovingly maintained four-sided courtyards and half-timbered houses, presents itself to visitors and locals alike as a village worth living in and loving. At the foot of the Protestant village church of St. Pankratius next to the parish hall stands a particularly impressive and valuable individual tree, the Alterstedt village lime tree. The mighty summer lime tree, which is 18 meters high and has an average trunk circumference of 7.5 meters, is considered the village's landmark and adorns the small town's coat of arms. It is estimated to be between 500 and 600 years old.

A four-kilometre circular hiking trail, which starts at the Alterstedt Hainichschenke, leads to the edge of the Hainich National Park. The trail leads along the Alterstedt "Schieferwiese" village woodland via the reeds and the sports field back to the village. If you wish, you can also hike on from the circular trail to "Thiemsburg". There you will find the Hainich National Park Center and the "treetop path", which was built in 2004 and is famous throughout Germany.