Professional, Licensed, International - Your Guide to Southwest Germany
Your safety, comfort, and seamless cross-border experience are our priorities. Meet the guide who brings three decades of expertise, four languages, and genuine passion to every journey.
Experience You Can Trust
Anselm Vogt-Moykopf isn't someone who decided to become a tour guide last year. He's been doing this since 1994, guiding travelers through Stuttgart, Southwest Germany, and beyond. That's 30+ years of refining routes, building relationships with local historians and archivists, learning what actually matters to travelers, and developing the expertise that turns a competent tour into an exceptional one.
This isn't a side job or a temporary venture. This is professional, licensed work backed by official passenger transport permits, continuous education, and membership in Germany's national association of professional guides (Bundesverband der Gästeführer in Deutschland e.V.). When you book a tour, you're working with someone who knows these regions intimately, speaks the languages fluently, navigates international logistics seamlessly, and treats this work with the seriousness and care it deserves.
Guiding since 1994
30+ years refining routes and experiences.
Multilingual
German, English, French, Spanish.
Certified & Licensed
BVGD member, licensed and insured for passenger transport.
Cross-Border Ready
Seamless touring across Germany, Switzerland, Alsace.
Who You're Traveling With
Background and Experience
Anselm was born in Heidelberg in 1961 and studied social sciences at Tübingen University. His path to professional guiding came through years of driving taxis - work that taught him something valuable: nobody knows a city like someone who navigates its streets daily, talks to people from all walks of life, and understands how a place actually functions beyond tourist brochures.
In 1994, he combined that street-level knowledge with formal study of history, architecture, and urban planning to create tours that went deeper than surface-level sightseeing. Three decades later, the approach is the same - explaining why Stuttgart developed as it did, how architecture reflects social change, and what historical events meant for ordinary people - now backed by deeper knowledge, stronger local connections, and the experience to adjust plans smoothly.
What three decades deliver
- Tours built on street-level knowledge plus academic study.
- Deep answers to architecture, history, and urban planning questions.
- Trusted relationships with archivists, historians, and local partners.
- Calm, flexible handling when plans need adjusting.
Personal Journey: The Camino Experience
In 2020, Anselm walked the Camino de Santiago - the entire route from Stuttgart to Santiago de Compostela. Over 2,650 kilometers on foot, through Germany, France, and Spain. Weeks of walking, experiencing landscapes at human pace, connecting with fellow pilgrims, and understanding what it means to travel slowly and intentionally.
This wasn't tourism. It was pilgrimage. The Camino taught patience and reinforced what he already believed: the best experiences come from slowing down, paying attention, and letting places reveal themselves gradually rather than rushing through checklists. It also provided firsthand knowledge of one of Europe's most significant cultural routes and its living traditions.
What This Means for Your Tours
Walking can be woven into your itinerary - not strenuous hikes unless you want them, but thoughtful segments that deepen understanding.
- Walking through Strasbourg's old town rather than driving past.
- Vineyard walks in Alsace with winemaker conversations.
- Forest paths in the Black Forest connecting villages.
- Heritage town explorations on foot - Esslingen, Tübingen, Maulbronn.
- Gentle hikes to castle viewpoints or scenic overlooks.
- Sections of the Camino itself for pilgrimage-focused travelers.
After walking over 2,650 kilometers, Anselm understands pace, physical limits, and how to make walking an enriching part of the experience - never an exhausting obligation.
Licensing & International Coverage
Licensed Transport
We operate with a fully valid Personenbeförderungsschein (Passenger Transport Permit). This meets all legal requirements for professional touring in Germany and allows for international travel into Switzerland and France.
- Comprehensive International Insurance
- Cross-Border Liability Coverage
- Professional Driver Certification
When you book a private tour spanning three countries, logistics matter. We have years of experience navigating the borders, customs, and traffic regulations of Germany, Switzerland, and France to ensure your journey is seamless.
Premium Fleet
Climate-controlled, spacious seating for up to 7 guests, with Swiss Vignette and French toll transponders included.
Cross-Border Expertise
Fluent in navigating German, Swiss, and French routes, customs procedures, and cultural nuances.
Licensed and Insured
Anselm holds a German passenger transport license (Personenbeförderungsschein) - the official permit required to transport paying passengers professionally.
- Background checks and clean driving record.
- Professional insurance coverage that protects you as a passenger.
- Vehicle inspections ensuring safety standards for the Multivan seating up to 7.
- Ongoing compliance with transportation regulations.
You're in a professionally operated vehicle meeting all legal and safety requirements - not someone's personal car.
Certified Professional Guide
Anselm is a certified member of the Bundesverband der Gästeführer in Deutschland e.V. (BVGD). Membership requires demonstrated expertise, professional standards, and ongoing education.
Certification distinguishes trained, knowledgeable guides from hobbyists or unlicensed operators - the difference between someone who's studied Stuttgart systematically and someone reading from a script.
Our Booking Process
1. Initial Contact
2. Consultation
3. Itinerary & Quote
4. Confirmation
5. Your Journey
Multilingual Expertise
Anselm conducts tours in German, English, French, and Spanish - not just basic conversation but genuine fluency that allows nuanced historical explanations, complex discussions, and comfortable engagement with local people.
Language isn't just translation; it's access. It means understanding cultural nuances, reading original documents, conversing with locals who don't speak English, and making you feel included rather than isolated in foreign environments.
How language expands access
- Germany: read old German documents, translate historical texts, explain regional dialects.
- France (Alsace): direct communication with parish priests, archivists, restaurateurs, and local officials.
- Switzerland: switch between German and French as regions change, including Swiss-German variants.
- Spain: Camino knowledge and cultural fluency when itineraries extend further south.
What Professionalism Means in Practice
Logistics You Never See
- Border crossings handled with the right routes, timing, and documentation.
- Reservations and access secured in advance for restaurants, museums, and archives.
- Route planning that accounts for traffic, construction, scenic options, and realistic timing.
- Cultural navigation - local customs, respectful behavior, tipping norms, and etiquette across borders.
Safety and Reliability
- Punctual pickups and schedules that respect your time.
- Responsible driving, commercial insurance, and a well-maintained vehicle.
- Clear communication before and during tours; no surprises.
- Calm contingency planning for closed roads, weather changes, or last-minute adjustments.
- Ethical standards that keep recommendations honest and realistic.
Depth of Knowledge & Local Network
Specialized Expertise
- Architectural history with clear explanations for specialists and first-time visitors alike.
- Urban planning insights into how Stuttgart and regional towns evolved.
- Genealogical research support - reading old German church records and navigating archives.
- Regional history and cultural context that link food, wine, crafts, and dialects to place.
- Pilgrimage traditions informed by walking the Camino de Santiago personally.
Network of Local Connections
- Parish priests who facilitate archive access.
- Local historians who share knowledge beyond published sources.
- Restaurant owners and winemakers who hold tables for repeat visitors.
- Museum curators and archivists who guide us directly to the right collections.
- Regional partners built over years of respectful collaboration.
The Philosophy Behind the Tours
Substance Over Spectacle
Expect a comfortable, well-maintained vehicle and a guide who sits with you, converses naturally, and chooses routes for what they reveal - not for show. The focus is culture and history, not prestige.
Slow Travel, Deep Experience
Meaningful travel happens at human pace. Walk vineyards, forests, and medieval towns instead of rushing past them. Quality over quantity, with walking woven in when it enriches the story.
Personalization and Flexibility
Every tour is designed collaboratively around your interests, energy level, and preferences. Experience and judgment balance efficiency with spontaneity and know when to pivot as the day unfolds.
Practical Details
Vehicle & Capacity
Licensed Multivan seating up to 7 passengers - comfortable for multi-hour journeys, nimble for historic centers and border crossings.
Tour Scope
Southwest Germany, Alsace in France, and Switzerland - plus extended journeys based on your interests.
Tour Duration
Half-day (3-4 hours), full-day (7-8 hours), and multi-day journeys (2-14 days with full logistics handled).
Walking Components
Gentle 1-3 km town walks, moderate 3-7 km forest or river paths, extended hikes on request, and Camino sections for pilgrimage-focused guests.
Who This Works For
- Travelers who value expertise over economy-level group tours and prefer genuine engagement over scripts.
- Guests who want seamless logistics handled for them with professional standards and reliability.
- Small groups (couples, families, friends, or business teams) who enjoy depth and context, not just sightseeing.
- Travelers who appreciate combining vehicle travel with walking experiences tailored to their comfort level.
- Anyone curious to engage with places beyond the surface without needing to speak German or manage the planning.
Ready to Explore With Confidence?
When you book a tour with Anselm, you're working with someone who's built a professional life around this work - licensed, experienced, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in creating meaningful travel experiences.
You're not hiring a driver or booking a generic tour. You're accessing three decades of expertise, four languages of fluency, Camino pilgrim wisdom, and a professional commitment to showing you Southwest Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace the way they deserve to be experienced.
Let's Plan Your Journey
Contact our team to secure your dates or customize this itinerary further.