Matteo Stella

My name is Matteo Stella. I was born in Rome, but I left when I was 23 years old. For years I tried to fit into standard molds: school, university, interviews, work, salary, career. But after a while, the aperitifs became too boring and I didn’t last long. At 27, I took the first train that came my way and moved to the mountains.

Simple life, slow rhythms, breathtaking views. There I realized I was in the right place. A place I could call home again. After years spent chasing things that didn’t belong to me, I started to travel.

In my own way. By 23, I had already crossed all of Europe by interrail, hitchhiking, and cycling, however it happened. In Iceland, with five other friends and no money, we rented a car for five… but there were six of us.

One by one, someone would get out and ask for rides. It sounds like a joke, but that’s pretty much how all my travels went. Once I arrived in the mountains, I began to push myself further. Trekking was no longer enough, so I started running, then via ferratas, climbing, and mountaineering. Then skiing, and when the slopes were too short, I began to ascend with skins. Then mountain biking, and then ice climbing.

For years I lived in the mountains looking for new lines, new tracks, a personal idea of freedom. Trying to truly understand what Free Ride means. Then I started to fly. Paragliding was a dream. Until an accident brought me back down. There I understood that passion is not enough: it requires method, respect, and awareness. You have to be humble. In 2019, I set off for Alaska to climb Denali.

From there I continued: Nepal, Pakistan, other mountains, other expeditions. But at some point, it was no longer enough for me to stay still under a peak for weeks. I wanted to move. I wanted to see everything. In 2023, I took a plane to Tehran with an old bike and a few bags tied on securely.

That’s where a new chapter began. The following year, I quit my job, became a mountain bike instructor, and set off again. One-way ticket to Bogotá, destination Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Three and a half months along the Pan-American Highway.

Back in Italy, I took my final exams to become a Medium Mountain Guide, better known as a trekking guide. I worked as a guide, but the call of the road was even stronger. On October 14, 2025, I set off again. Once more, a one-way ticket.

From Beijing to Venice, along the Silk Road, retracing Marco Polo's journey in reverse. Five months through Mongolia, Central Asia, the Middle East, back home.