Cerro Ñielol is a hill that sits among some 90 hectares of native forest – a little forested oasis in the city. Chile’s national flower, the copihue (Lapageria rosea), grows here in abundance, flowering from March to July. Cerro Ñielol is also of historical importance, since it was here in 1881, at the tree-shaded site known as La Patagua, that Mapuche leaders ceded land to the colonists to found Temuco. Whether or not the actual papers were signed on the hill is up for debate. The park has picnic sites, a small lagoon, footpaths and an environmental information center. Take bus 1 from the centro to get to the entrance.
