php - Wordpress won't let me wrap a div in an a tag -

i'm having strange issue can't figure out. i'm working on custom theme in wordpress , i've got div image , icon image inside. i'm trying make both whole image , icon image within link.

the issue when try put link around whole div, wordpress closed link prematurely , adds second link - neither of enclosing div. if change div span, let me wrap in link. why?! going on , how , turn off 'feature'?

here selected code in template file:

        <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">             <div class="img">                 <?php if (has_post_thumbnail()): ?>                     <img style="display: none;" src="<?php echo $image_attributes[0]; ?>" alt="<?php echo strip_tags(get_the_title()); ?>">                     <span class="zoom hide-ie"><i class="fa fa-search"></i></span>                 <?php endif; ?>                 <?php if ($categories): ?>                     <a href="<?php echo get_category_link($categories[0] -> term_id )?>" class="category-link"><?php echo $categories[0]->cat_name?></a>                 <?php endif; ?>                     <div class="background" style="background-image: url('<?php echo $image_attributes[0]; ?>');"></div>             </div>          </a> 

however, code being outputted browser:

  <a href="http:somelink">     </a>   <div class="img">     <a href="http:somelink">       <img style="display: none;" src="imagelink.jpg" alt="this isn’t our beautiful contest – how did here?">       <span class="zoom hide-ie"><i class="fa fa-search"></i></span>     </a>     <a href="categorylink/" class="category-link">agency mojo</a>     <div class="background" style="background-image: url('http://imagelink.jpg');"></div>   </div> 

so can see, it's closing link immediately, , adding link inside of `

any amazing i've seen question asked not answered in few other places including here on site

i try avoid nesting anchor tags. perhaps work better.

<div class="img">     <?php if ( has_post_thumbnail() ): ?>         <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">             <img style="display: none;" src="<?php echo $image_attributes[0]; ?>" alt="<?php echo strip_tags(get_the_title()); ?>" />             <span class="zoom hide-ie"><i class="fa fa-search"></i></span>         </a>     <?php endif; ?>     <?php if ($categories): ?>         <a href="<?php echo get_category_link($categories[0]-> term_id ); ?>" class="category-link">             <?php echo $categories[0]->cat_name; ?>         </a>     <?php endif; ?>     <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">         <div class="background" style="background-image: url('<?php echo $image_attributes[0]; ?>');"></div>     </a> </div>