Madrid to Cordoba by Bus. Almuradiel

The bus from Madrid to Cordoba takes about 5 hours, so the first big transfer on this trip turned out to be the longest. You can, of course, get there by train in less than two hours, but it will cost three times as much. In addition, it is much more comfortable to contemplate the landscapes of Andalucia from the bus window than to count the flashing pillars outside the window of a high-speed train.

Socibus transport company operates in this direction, and buses leave from the Southern Bus Station (Méndez Álvaro Metro) every two hours. In May 2013, the move cost me only 13 euros, now the ticket costs about 30 euros. I must say that prices in this direction have increased significantly, but for such a distance they are quite sane.

During the journey, there was a long stop in the town of Almuradiel, Ciudad Real province. Here you can use the toilet and have a snack in the restaurant of Casa Marcos Motel.

Near the bus stop, I discovered a marine monument that was completely unexpected on the Castilian plain. It turned out to be a monument to the minelayer Marte, a participant in the Civil War.

Closer to Cordoba, the foothills of the Sierra Andujar begin.

On the hills, here and there, you can see ancient brick stoves with tall pipes, where ceramics were fired. Ceramic tiles have long been the most important part of the Andalucian architectural decor.