Traditionally, literature, as the highest expression of cultural identity, has been an essential tool in the teaching-learning processes of Spanish as a Foreign Language (E/LE). However, in recent decades, there has been a shift in the meaning of culture (and consequently what is/is not literature) to align with market interests and logics, at the expense of the concept of the canon and, therefore, of literary quality. Starting from the analysis of our current situation, this article examines the presence of canonical Spanish literature in the Laurea Magistrale studies in Italy that include subjects related to the Spanish language, culture, or literature in their curricula. The goal is, on the one hand, to see if the dynamics of the publishing market have affected the textual selection in the academic context; and, on the other hand, to analyze which authors, from which periods, and with which canonical texts are present in the study programs and reading lists of the main Italian universities at a time when culture acts as a fundamental driver for the visibility of Spain, with literature playing a crucial role in projecting our cultural identity traits.