As a web designer, I would recommend creating the website's graphics on Adobe Photoshop. There really is no other program that can compete with Photoshop when it comes to graphics.
Then, hand code it. It's not easy learning to code valid XHTML and CSS, but the hours of practice are worth it. That is, if you want a professional website. Otherwise, if you're only making a personal website, it might not matter.
As a web designer, I would recommend creating the website's graphics on Adobe Photoshop. There really is no other program that can compete with Photoshop when it comes to graphics.
Then, hand code it. It's not easy learning to code valid XHTML and CSS, but the hours of practice are worth it. That is, if you want a professional website. Otherwise, if you're only making a personal website, it might not matter.
All I wanted to say, to the letter! Photoshop for graphical components (Fireworks MX+ if you must...), and hand-coding. Software that generates websites isn't as original, and the pages that it creates just don't have that 'feeling'. If you hand-code something, you can tell that it's better than anything software would produce.