A recording medium has at least a recording layer on a transparent substrate. The recording layer has at least a first phase-changeable film and a second phase-changeable film in that order, starting on the side closest to the transparent substrate. The first phase-changeable film and the second phase-changeable film each contains at least 10 atom % and no more than 50 atom % germanium and at least 45 atom % and no more than 60 atom % tellurium. Also at least one of the phase-changeable films contains bismuth.