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Verified WriterSpending Thanksgiving in Rome this year and wondering where to find a little of that holiday warmth. Thankfully, there’s Friendsgiving — a Thanksgiving-style celebration with friends instead of family, and the Italian capital is not short of fun ideas for the festive season.
While the tradition of gathering friends around the table to share in great food and good company dates back decades, the term “Friendsgiving” only came about in the mid-2000s to signify a relaxed, inclusive twist on Thanksgiving. Not everybody gets to travel home for the end of November and gather with family around a food-laden table. But Friendsgiving gives people the chance to gather their “chosen family” — whether they be travel buddies, classmates, coworkers, or close friends — and share a sociable meal filled with laughter and togetherness.
The Friendsgiving meal generally takes place on or around Thanksgiving (Thursday, 27th November, this year). Usually, Friendsgiving is a potluck-style meal. But sometimes hosts might provide and cook everything themselves. The feast is especially popular among millennials, whose remote-working situations might not allow them to return home, or those in the LGBTQ+ community, many members of which have strained relationships with their biological families. But Friendsgiving is by no means exclusive to any particular demographic.
What better place to celebrate that spirit than in Rome — the capital of a country that has perfected the art of eating, drinking, and connecting over good food?
At Carpe Diem Tours, we offer fun, festive Friendsgiving ideas for groups of friends or solo travellers who want to meet new people. So why not make this Friendsgiving one to remember!
If you’ve already got your group together, these private classes let you create your own cosy Friendsgiving feast — without any of the stress of cooking (or cleaning!) in your apartment:
Sip, paint, and laugh your way through an evening of creativity. Guided by a local artist, you and your friends can toast to the holidays while creating your own masterpieces.
Perfect for small groups looking for a fun, relaxed night that’s part art class, part party.
Nothing says Italian Friendsgiving like making pasta and dessert from scratch!
Roll, cut, and shape fresh fettuccine or ravioli, then learn the secrets of crafting the perfect tiramisù. You’ll cook together, laugh together, and enjoy the meal you’ve made — just like family.
👉 Book your pastsa & tiramisù cooking class here
Turn your Friendsgiving into a pizza party! Learn to make authentic Roman-style pizza dough, bake it in a traditional oven, and share your creations straight from the peel. Add wine, music, and friends, and you’ve got the perfect Italian-style celebration.
Each experience is private, customisable, and designed for fun — ideal for travellers who want a memorable way to celebrate together during the holiday season.
👉 Book your pizza & cocktails class here
Speaking as someone who once had to spend Christmas alone in Italy due to my passport getting lost in the post, I fully understand that spending the festive season alone can suck. But if this describes your situation, don’t despair. The Italian capital is a city that never sleeps, and there are plenty of fun, sociable things to do in Rome this festive season.
Why not make Friendsgiving 2025 extra memorable by creating your own Italian feast? Our Pasta & Tiramisu Class teaches traditional handmade pasta techniques alongside Italy’s most beloved dessert. Both classes welcome kids and create that warm, family-focused atmosphere that makes every Thanksgiving Day special.
Looking for something with a little more buzz? Our Spritz & Spaghetti Class combines pasta-making with cocktail crafting for a truly Roman celebration.
Browse our Rome Cooking Classes
Our Tipsy Tour of Rome offers the most lively, offbeat way to experience the city’s nightlife, culture, and stories — all accompanied by drinks (with non‑alcoholic options, too).
A Tipsy Tour isn’t a typical bar crawl: it's a social and cultural combo that introduces you to local wines, aperitivos, and spritzes while your guide weaves in scandalous anecdotes, historic tidbits, and hidden gems around Monti and the Roman Forum. It's also the perfect tour for those looking to meet other fun, like-minded travellers.
👉 Secure your spot on our Tipsy Tour
If you’d rather let someone else take care of the cooking, Rome has plenty of places serving traditional Thanksgiving feasts with an Italian twist. Here are a few of our favourites:
The Hard Rock Café on Via Veneto serves roast turkey, stuffing, and all the trimmings from Thursday to Sunday, with live music and plenty of festive cheer.
Situated on the bourgeois yet bohemian Via Margutta, EMME Ristorante will be serving its annual Thanksgiving dinner with pumpkin soup, stuffed turkey, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings. Make sure to reserve your table well in advance.
This year, VIVI will be doing Thanksgiving with an Italian twist, offering vegetarian and vegan options for €45 per person in two beautiful settings: one at the bottom of Piazza Navona and the other at Le Selle, quite far to the north of the city.
Spending the holidays abroad, away from family, can be a little daunting. But if done right, it can also be one of the most memorable experiences of your life. Friendsgiving in Rome offers you the unique opportunity to create your own traditions, surrounded by close friends, good food, and the beauty of the Italian capital.
So whether you’re mixing dough, painting with wine, or toasting under the Christmas lights, remember this: in Rome, you’re never really celebrating alone.
Verified Writer
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