Before starting web design, it is advisable to learn HTML. Basic HTML skills can be learnt quickly and there are many tutorials available to get you started.
Some of the online guides for HTML are :
W3schools – has video tutorials which can be useful
HTMLgoodies
WebMonkey
The online guides start from basic coding and then move on to more advanced web design.
Code for a website can also be written using notepad. Compared to web publishing tools, it is usually more difficult to write HTML code from scratch and it usually takes a longer time for the same type of website. However handcoded websites usually do not contain bloated code and load quickly. Once a person learns to write HTML code, it becomes easier to make modifications in existing websites.